Case Scenarios (Chapter 1-3)
Scenario 1 Troubleshooting a Compatibility Problem
A remote employee reports that after he upgraded his computer to Windows 7, he is unable to use his USB printer. He says Windows 7 hangs whenever he plugs in his printer. How do you respond? Ask whether the user ran Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor prior to upgrading his computer to determine if Windows 7 supports the printer. If so, ask if he connected the printer before running the check. He can do so now and respond to the compatibility report. Another option is to visit the printer's manufacturer's Web site and download and install a new driver
Scenario 2-2: Configuring Accessibility Features
Alexandra, an employee at your company, is visually impaired. Which features can you configure in Windows 7 to help her do her work more efficiently? Programs that accommodate the visually impaired are found in the Ease Of Access Center. You could enable Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard, and/or High Contrast as a start. Be sure to train Alexandra how to use each feature that you enable
Scenario 2-1: Getting Administrative-Level Privileges
As an IT technician, you need to perform some maintenance tasks on an employee's computer that will require elevated privileges. When you go to the Manage Accounts window in Control Panel on that employee's computer, you see only the employee's standard user account. What do you do to be able to log in as a user with administrative-level privileges? You may use the default Administrator account to perform maintenance tasks on the computer, but the account is currently hidden (disabled). To use the default Administrator account, open a command prompt window in administrator mode: click the Start button, type cmd in the Search programs and files search box, right-click cmd.exe in the resulting list and select Run as administrator. In the command prompt window that displays, type net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter. Perform the maintenance tasks, and then disable the account when you're finished: open a command prompt window and enter net user administrator /active:no
Scenario 3: Converting a Small Office to Windows 7
Danielle provides IT support for Swish It Away, a small cleaning service in the Pacific Northwest. The company has eight computers. Four of the computers run Windows XP Professional Edition and the other four run Windows Vista Business Edition. The company president has asked her to make sure all eight computers are running Windows 7 Professional by the beginning of the next quarter. What type of installations must Danielle perform, and what additional steps (if any) must Danielle take to retain the users' files and settings? Danielle should back up files and settings on all computers. She can then perform in-place upgrade installations to Windows 7 Professional Edition on the computers running Windows Vista Business Edition. She should run Windows Easy Transfer on the computers running Windows XP Professional Edition, and then perform a custom installation to Windows 7 Professional Edition
Scenario 2-4: Creating a Better User Experience
Oscar at The OEM Connection asks you to help him speed up his computer, which now runs Windows 7 Professional. He doesn't care about all of the "zippy, new" features in the Windows 7 Aero interface—he just wants the computer to run a bit faster and be more responsive. He would also like to be able to quickly launch Microsoft Excel each time he logs on to his computer, and he does not want the Windows Media Player to be present on the taskbar. How do you meet Oscar requests? To increase the responsiveness of Windows 7 Professional on Oscar's computer, you should change the Windows theme to Windows Classic or Windows Basic. To enable Oscar to start Microsoft Excel quickly, pin the program to the taskbar. You should also unpin Windows Media Player from the taskbar per his request
Scenario 2-3: Running a Legacy Application
Oscar is the warehouse manager for The OEM Connection, an auto parts business. Although the business standardized on Windows 7 Professional, Oscar needs to run a legacy parts lookup program that does not run in Windows 7. You provide technical support to The OEM Connection. What can you do to help Oscar? You should download and install Windows XP Mode on Oscar's computer. First check that Oscar's computer will run Windows XP Mode. Then download and install the software, and install the legacy application in Windows XP Mode. Test the application to ensure it runs as expected
Scenario 3-3: Pinning Multiple Web Sites
Roberta is a high-tech researcher who uses the Bing search site and the Microsoft Web site daily. She wants to access the sites quickly whenever she uses Internet Explorer. How do you advise her on how she can access sites quickly? Tell Roberta that she must open Internet Explorer 9 and pin the Bing site to her Windows 7 taskbar. Then she must add the Microsoft site to the pinned site. To do so, Roberta would need to browse to www.bing.com, and then click and drag the Bing tab to the taskbar. A new browser window appears with Bing selected. In that window, Roberta should browse to www.microsoft.com, click the Microsoft tab, right-click the pinned Web site's icon to the left of the Back button, and then click Add as a home page. Both sites are pinned to the taskbar under a single icon
Scenario 4: Selecting the Right Computer and Operating System
Swish It Away is beginning to grow- The president now wants Danielle to acquire computers for three new staff members. Randi has been hired as the president's personal assistant and will need to run a word processor, spreadsheet application, a Web browser, and an e-mail client. Pooja will provide marketing and graphics services, such as press releases, brochures, flyers, advertisements, and graphics for the new Web site. Stan is the new salesperson who will travel locally each day. When he's in the office, he will share a desktop computer with another salesperson, but Stan needs to be able to check e-mail and access the Internet while he's out of the office. What computer specifications should Danielle look for, and which editions of Windows 7 should run on each computer? Randi can run a word processor, spreadsheet application, a Web browser, and an e-mail client on a computer with a 2 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM, and at least a 250 GB hard drive. The computer should run Windows 7 Professional Edition. Pooja's graphics programs may require at least 8 GB of RAM and 500 GB or more of hard disk space, and should run Windows 7 Professional. Danielle should acquire a netbook for Stan. The network would run Windows 7 Starter Edition
Scenario 2: Creating a Plan to Upgrade to Windows 7
The IT manager for your company informs you that senior management approved the budget for upgrading 20 networked workstations from Windows Vista Business to Windows 7. He asked you how to determine whether the computers can be upgraded to Windows 7 Professional, and which installation method will be most efficient and cost-effective. How do you answer? To determine if the computers are ready for Windows 7 Professional, or any edition of Windows 7, you would need to run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor on each computer and analyze the reports. For 25 computers, you could install Windows 7 on a clean computer, configure the settings that apply to all computers, use Sysprep to create an image file, and use ImageX to create bootable media. You could also perform a network installation, which may save more time
Scenario 3-4: Creating a Playlist
You provide technical support to a small dental practice. The office manager, Shanice, hands you several company-owned music CDs. She wants the music piped to the lobby area where patients wait to be seen for their appointments. The computer used at the receptionist's desk is running Windows 7 and has wireless speakers that can be set up in the waiting area. What is one method of providing the requested music without spending additional money? You should use Windows Media Player to rip the music to the receptionist's hard drive (or attached storage). Then set up a playlist in Windows Media Player. Show Shanice and the receptionist how to launch Windows Media Player and start the playlist
Scenario 3-1: Securing Internet Explorer 9
Your co-worker Preena is finalizing a big project for a medical client and has many sensitive client files on her computer. She asks you to help her make her computer as safe as possible while accessing the Internet. What do you do? In Internet Explorer 9 on Preena's computer, increase her Internet zone security level to High (Tools menu > Internet options > Security tab). Ensure that Pop-up Blocker, ActiveX Filtering, and the SmartScreen filter are enabled. Download and install at least one Tracking Protection list. Finally, instruct Preena to use InPrivate Browsing when she accesses any Web sites by selecting the Tools menu > Safety > InPrivate Browsing
Scenario 3-2: Offering Remote Assistance
Your sales people travel extensively and often need technical assistance with configuration settings on their laptops running Windows 7. What feature or program do you use to provide remote support for these employees? Teach the sales people how to initiate a Windows Remote Assistance session. With this program, you can view their desktop and watch while they perform an action, giving them advice over the phone or through a chat session. You can also take control of their desktop to show them how to perform an action