CompTIA A+ Study Guide- Chapter 17

problem reports

(Called problem reports and solutions in vista) control panel applet that lists all windows error reporting issues. Allows you to click a problem and see if there is a known fix.

Windows XP mode

This can be downloaded from Microsoft if using Windows 7. Uses a Windows XP SP3 virtual machine that uses windows virtual PC. however keep in mind Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in 2014, meaning no new security updates have been released since. This could make the PC vulnerable depending on the application.

bootrec

Tool accessible if you choose Command prompt within the WRE environment. This WRE recovery tool repairs the master boot record, boot sector, or BCD store. Replaces the old fixboot an fixmbr used in Windows XP.

Performance Information and Tools

applet in control panel, provides a relative feel for how your computer stacks up to other systems using windows experience index.

Event Viewer

default logging program, keeps records from the entire system on when anything bad happens.

fsutil - non-term

Also accessible at the command prompt in WRE, utility used with the following commands: fsinfo provides a detail query about the drives and volumes. Type fsinfo dirty <drivename> tells you if windows considers that drive to be dirty, meaning autochk (corrects errors in the file system) will run the next reboot. fsinfo repair initiate <Drive letter> runs a basic chkdsk without rebooting.

diskpart

Also included with the WRE command prompt. full featured partitioning tool. Using this tool opens a special command prompt to interact with the tool directly. clean command wipes all partition and volume information off the currently selected disk.

Live DVD

Alternative name for the Windows installation media because WinPE loads directly from the disk into memory and doesnt access the hard drive.

Blue screen of death (BSoD)

Appears when something causes an error from which windows cannot recover. One of these causes could be a device driver. Look at the error that Windows tells you caused the reason and may suggest a course of action. If this happened after installing a new device, remove the device and reboot, then look for updated drivers. If windows hangs during startup, try one of the advanced startup options covered following the registry.

Linux tools for failure to boot:

GRUB is the boot utility used today on Linux systems. If you get an error "Missing GRUB" there is a probem with the boot sector. Best resolution is to load the OS installation disk and reboot. Access the terminal from there and run: sudo grub-install <location> This should repair the problem.

Advanced Startup options

In Windows Vista or 7 fails to boot properly, you can hold F5 to go into safe mode. Alternatively pressing and holding F8 will take you to advanced startup options. This is not possible in windows 8 and later.

Kernel panic

Linux version of BSoD, the fix is also to go to the manufacture's website and look for updated drivers or kernel modules. This can happen in both Linux and Mac.

Safe Mode

Loads only very basic drivers for mouse, keyboard, monitor and video card (and everything else). Allows troubleshooting in windows when you could not get there otherwise (due to possibly a driver conflict). The only way to force the system to go into safe mode without there being a problem is opening the system configuration utility (run msconfig).

Action center

Starting with Windows 7 and later. Provides one page aggregation of event messages warnings and maintenance messages. Some consider this more useful than event viewer. You can tell action center where to look for information (beyond the defaults such as Event Viewer, Windows update, Windows firewall, and UAC) by selecting change action center settings.

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WPE)

Starting with Windows Vista, graphical environment used during installation.

System Protection

Uses Volume Shadow Copy Service, Feature that enables you access to previous versions of any data file or folder. Works if The file or folder was backed up using the backup program, you created a restore point, or if the file or folder was changed. System protection must be enabled as well (Right click my computer, This PC, select properties, select change settings next to computer name etc.) Also requires a backup being kept such as a system report point. Windows 8 and 8.1 does not have this feature, use FIle history instead!

Windows Recovery Environment (WRE)

When choosing repair from the WinPE environment, WRE is loaded, which provides a special set of tools for repairing windows

How to access the WRE:

Windows 7: Use the installation disk, Hold F8 during boot up, then select "Repair your computer" in the menu, Create a system repair disc or system image before problems begin (Found in control panel/System and Security / Backup and Restore / select "Create a system repair disk / Create a system Image". Windows 8.1: Create a recovery drive on a removable flash drive, Access the Recovery applet in Control Panel.

Disable driver Signature Enforcement - non-term

Windows Advanced startup option, forces windows to accept a driver that does not have a Microsoft driver signature. Good for older drivers.

Directory Services Restore mode - non-term

Windows Advanced startup option, only applies to Active Directory domain controllers, and only Windows server versions can be a controller.

Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure - non-term

Windows Advanced startup option, stops the computer from rebooting on Stop errors. Gives you time to write down the BSoD error and hopefully find a fix.

Last known good configuration

Windows Advanced startup option, this option applies specifically to new device drivers that cause failures on reboot.

Recovery console

Windows XP tool, provides a command line interface for working with windows before the GUI starts. Press R to start the recovery console (from installation disk).

What to do if Windows gets a BSoD due to registry issues

Windows keeps a regular backup of the registry (every 10 days). These backups are located in \Windows\System32\config\RegBack To replace the registry, boot to the windows installation disk and load WRE. Open the command prompt and type Reg (and recover there). You can also just copy the backup registry file to the location of the main registry file (located under \Windows\System32\config)

Compatibility modes

Windows mode that offers support to older applications. This can be found by right clicking the application *.exe file, clicking the compatibility tab, and selecting he version of windows you want emulated.

System Restore

enables you to go back to a time when your computer worked properly. Uses restore points

Task Manager

great place to shut down an errant process that wont close properly.

Startup repair

serves as a one stop shop option. When ran, performs many repairs, including repairs registry by accessing a backup copy on your hard drive, restores critical boot files, restores critical system and driver files, rolls back any non-working drivers, uninstalls any incompatible service packs and patches, runs chkdsk, and runs a memory test to check the RAM. Starting with Windows 7, startup repair is ran automatically if a boot problem is found.

bcdedit

shows how windows boots from the CLI. To make changed to BCD, you need to use switches. bcdedit /export <filename> exports a copy of the BCD store to a file. bcdedit /import <filename> imports a copy of the BCD store back into the store. bcdedit /set {current} path \BackupWindows\sytem32\winload.exe - this changes the path of the {current} identifier to a alternative location of winload.exe (starts the OS).

Restore Points

snapshots of a system at a given point of time.

system file checker

used to replace a number of critical files should they get corrupted