A+ Operating Systems

GPT

A GUID Partition Table contains information on how the disk is partitioned. Compared to MBR, it supports larger drives, and more partitions per drive.

Logical

A logical drive is represented by a drive letter in Windows. Make sure you distinguish between disk, partition, and logical drive. These can be assigned one-to-one in the simplest configuration, but are not limited to one.

[command name]/?

Adding the /? parameter at the end of a CLI command will display the list of command options and parameters, with their short descriptions.

Operating Systems

An operating system controls and coordinates all the elements of a computer. It controls many functions that are necessary to use the computer, such as hardware management, file system, and user interface.

Android

Android is an operating system developed by Google specifically for mobile devices. It is based on the Linux kernel and is free and open source. Many devices from different manufacturers around the world make phones and tablets that run the Android operating system. It is the most used mobile OS.

Apple Macintosh OS

Apple MacOS is the operating system designed to run on Apple workstations. It is included with every Macintosh computer and is the second most widely used workstation OS.

Compatibility

Applications that are available for one operating system may be not available for others. The developer of the application may limit its efforts to only one operating system. Some applications may be available for MacOS and Windows (for example, Microsoft Office). Some applications may be available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux (for example, Google Chrome). In any case, these are different installation files of similar software. Another compatibility concern may be caused when updating an operating system to a newer version. New versions of operating systems may cause issues with previously installed hardware and applications. Many large organizations choose not to update their operating systems without thorough testing of the new version with the existing hardware and business-critical software.

Media Center

Available on Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows Media Center is a player for slideshows, videos, and music from files, optical drives, local networks, and selected streaming services.

BranchCache

Beneficial in corporate environments with multiple branch offices, this creates a local cache of files from file servers and web servers for quicker access.

Application Compatibility

Between 32-bit and 64-bit, and also the versions of operating systems, verify that the desired applications are compatible and will run successfully. Understand the compatibility mode.

cd

Change directory used.

Chrome OS

Chrome OS is not widely used on tablets, but mostly on netbooks. These are lightweight laptops that are intended mostly for using services over the Internet and for web browsing.

net use

Connect or map a network share.

xcopy

Copy command with numerous options.

format

Create a file system on a storage device.

dism

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool to mount and service Windows image files.

ipconfig

Displays configuration of network adapters.

netstat

Displays network statistics on data transfers, ports, and applications.

gpresult

Displays the current group policies and their status.

tracert

Displays what network devices a packet goes through to reach a remote computer.

Alternate Third-Party Drivers

Drivers used in Windows installations that have been tested and approved by Microsoft are referred to as signed drivers. When installing device drivers, signed drivers should always be used; however, you may find situations where the driver is an unsigned driver (third-party driver). Before installing an unsigned driver, verify the source to ensure that it is valid.

Time/Date/Region/Language Settings

During the installation of the operating system, some regional settings can be changed. These include local time and time zone, region, and language. Most of these settings can be changed later, after the installation, but not all operating systems will allow changing the interface language without reinstalling.

Hardware Compatibility

Ensure that the system's hardware is supported to install and configure the desired operating system. The essential BIOS, CPU, and RAM need to support the installation. The hardware should have supported drivers to be used optimally by the OS.

Factory Recovery Partition

For computers that come with a recovery partition, you are expected to know how to use this to implement a system recovery. Also understand how partitions can be hidden.

Boot Drive

For each operating system, understand the procedure for partitioning and formatting drives. Know how to determine which partition is the active partition.

dir

Gives a listing of a directory.

Refresh/restore

If configured beforehand, it may be possible to restore the operating system to a restore point. It is recommended to create a restore point before significant configuration changes and software installations. If something unexpected happens, the settings may be reverted.

Image deployment

If many computers have identical hardware and need identical operating systems, settings, and applications installed, it can be accomplished with image deployment. There are different software tools for this task, but usually the process involves the following steps: Select one computer. Perform a clean installation of the desired operating system, configure, and install applications. Create the image from this computer. Make this image available on the network or portable media. Copy the image to other computers.

Microsoft Accounts for sign-in

In addition to local accounts, a Microsoft online account can be used to login. This allows transferring appearance and system settings between computers.

Libraries

Introduced in Windows 7, libraries are still available, but not enabled by default. Instead, the folders Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music are now normal folders that are created for each user.

Windows 10 Start menu

It combines the start menu of Windows 7 with a panel similar to the Windows 8 start screen, and doesn't obstruct the whole screen and the desktop.

Command Availability

Just like system utilities in the GUI, the CLI commands need to be run with the right privileges. Usually, displaying the information can be done with standard privileges, but changes to the system require that you run the CLI as administrator first.

Windows 7 Libraries

Libraries showed files of a specific type in one place, even though they were stored in different locations on the computer. Default libraries are Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music. This is the default location for Windows Explorer on Windows 7.

Linux

Linux is a kernel, the core of the operating system. Interfaces and applications can be added to the kernel. These pre-configured combinations are known as distributions. This flexibility allows users to create various flavors of systems for different cases. A distribution can have an extensive graphical user interface (GUI), like Ubuntu, or be better adapted to high performance server tasks, like Red Hat.

copy

Make a copy of one or more files.

net user

Manage users.

gpupdate

Manually refresh the domain group policies applied to the computer or the user.

Corporate vs. Personal Needs

Microsoft Windows is the most popular workstation OS for both personal and corporate use. Although they have a very similar look and feel, the Professional Editions allow more efficient and secure use in corporate environments and offer additional features.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is the most widely used workstation operating system. It can be installed on a wide variety of compatible hardware from many manufacturers and it is commonly used in homes, schools, and offices.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft has discontinued its operating system for mobile phones. Tablets from different hardware manufacturers support Windows, and they run the full version of Windows 10.

Software Compatibility

Most operating systems will have a 32 and 64-bit version. The 32-bit version may be referred to as x86, and the 64-bit version as x64. In most cases, the hardware is backward compatible, meaning that you can install a 32-bit OS on 64-bit hardware, but not vice-versa. Applications can also come in different versions. You will need a 64-bit OS on a 64-bit CPU to run a 64-bit application.

cd ..

Move one level up in the directory structure.

Vendor-Specific Limitations

Once an operating system is installed, it can continue running. But there are some limitations that you need to keep in mind and consider updating.

32-bit vs. 64-bit

One important difference is CPU architecture that differs in bits. Historically, there were 8-bit and 16-bit computers. Currently, 32-bit and 64-bit computers are widely used. The bit length refers to the number of bits that is used for memory addresses. For instance, 64-bit computers use 64 bits for memory address.

Remote network installation

PXE network boot can use a remote server with the operating system's installation files to install the OS on the computer. Depending on the configuration of the server, the installation process may require selecting installation options, just like booting from a CD, or be an unattended installation.

Partitioning

Partitioning creates one or more logical drives on a physical disk. Each partition can be separately formatted and have a separate file system. In Windows, each partition can have a separate drive letter.

Cell Phone/Tablet Operating Systems

Phones and tablets are widely used, growing in hardware and performance, and raise the need for complex, powerful, yet convenient operating systems.

Aero

Provides visual enhancements to the desktop and GUI experience. Requires a video card with enough performance for full support.

FAT32

Providing very basic features, it is supported by many operating systems. Supports partitions up to 2 TB in size.

robocopy

Replaces xcopy, has numerous options.

nslookup

Resolves name to IP address, for DNS troubleshooting.

shutdown

Shut down or restart the computer. Allows options like delayed restart.

Recovery partition

Some operating systems provide an option to create a recovery partition during the installation. It will be a bootable partition that can later be used and contains diagnostic and repair tools, or may be used for a repair installation.

Repair installation

Some operating systems provide this option. It is usually initiated by booting with the installation media of the same version of operating system that was previously installed, then selecting the repair option from the menu. It rewrites system files and settings, while keeping the user files. This mode may be useful for repair purposes, if the installed operating system is not bootable, or shows serious issues that can't be fixed otherwise.

EFS

Standing for Encrypting File System, this is a file system feature that can be configured to encrypt volumes, folders, and files. This protects data from an attacker with physical access to the computer.

Swap partition

Swap is a Linux partition that is used when the computer runs out of physical RAM. Data from RAM overflows to the swap partition. It reduces the performance, but allows more applications to run at once.

sfc

System File Checker tool checks the status and versions of system files.

ping

Tests reachability of a remote computer over the network.

Windows 8 Start screen

The Start Menu has been replaced with the Start Screen. This is a screen with tiles for installed applications and system menus.

File System Types/Formatting

The file system allows storing, managing, and accessing files on a partition. An operating system usually supports different file systems, and a partition needs to be formatted with a specific file system before usage.

Settings

The most-used user settings became available in a separate Settings menu.

Quick format vs. full format

These are two ways of formatting a partition. Quick format only changes the file system records, so the disk appears empty. Full format also rewrites the previous files, making it harder to restore previous files, and may detect some surface errors on the disk.

ext3, ext4

These are used by Linux. Ext4 is an updated version that supports larger partitions, a larger number of files, and improves performance.

Domain Access

This allows access to the network domain. The computer will be registered on the domain and domain users can be used to log in.

Control Panel

This allows more system configuration and is still available.

Clean install

This installation disregards previous data at the destination. It can be used if the computer doesn't have any operating system installed or if the intent is to completely delete the previous operating system, files, applications, and settings.

Dynamic

This is a disk with a more complex configuration that doesn't have the limitations of a basic disk. It allows creating partitions that can span multiple physical hard disks (software RAID).

BitLocker

This is a drive encryption utility. All data on a disk is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access, which may be especially useful on laptops that may leave the protected office environment and may be lost or stolen.

CDFS

This is a file system for CDs and DVDs.

Cortana

This is a personal assistant you can talk to by voice or typing, and get a response in text or speech. It can set reminders, calendar appointments, and answer questions using the Bing search engine.

In-place upgrade

This is an installation method that installs a newer operating system over an older one. Depending on the OS and versions, it may preserve the settings, files, and applications.

Windows Store

This is an online store for downloading and purchasing new software.

ExFAT

This is designed for small flash and SSD drives, optimized for performance and media file storage.

NTFS

This is much more advanced than FAT32, supported by all modern Windows versions. NTFS allows users to set and manage permissions for files and folders for specific users and groups, making it very useful for secure network file sharing. Additionally, it provides indexing (for faster file search), compression, and encryption on the file system level.

Basic

This is the most common disk type, separated into logical partitions.

HFS

This is used natively by MacOS.

Multiboot

This method uses a boot manager to install multiple operating systems on a single computer. The boot manager maintains the boot configurations and lets the user select what operating system to boot when starting the computer. It's recommended to install separate operating systems on separate hard disks, or at least separate logical partitions.

Unattended installation

This requires preparation ahead of time and best suited for cases where many computers need to be installed with the same configuration. Requires a special server with the installation image and the installation script.

NFS

This stands for Network File System, used for file access over a network between systems. Mostly used in servers, and less in workstations.

Recommended multi-touch display screen

To emphasize that the Windows 8 operating system can be used on tablets and allow advanced GUI interaction, Microsoft has recommended that a multi-touch display be used with Windows 8.

OS Compatibility

To upgrade the OS version, there must be an upgrade path. When a new OS is released, there is a lot of effort put in to allow upgrades from previous versions. There may be some limitations that won't allow an upgrade. For instance. a 32-bit OS can't be upgraded to 64-bit. There are cases of fundamental feature changes; for instance, a new version may not support the file system used by the previous operating system. In these cases, only a clean install would allow you to use the newer operating system instead of the old one.

diskpart

Tool for managing disks, partitions, and volumes.

Driver Installation, Software, and Windows Updates

Understand the importance of keeping your system up to date, specifically relating to security. Know the procedures for installing drivers, using 32-bit drivers on x86 systems and 64-bit drivers on x64 systems. Be familiar with the function of the Device Manager and how it relates to drivers.

taskkill

Used to kill system processes given the process ID number PID.

End-of-Life

When an operating system reaches the end-of-life phase by its developer, there will be no more updates, patches, or technical support. There will probably be no more applications developed or supported for this OS version.

Update Limitations

When the OS developer stops supporting the version, there will be no more security patches released for that OS version. As new vulnerabilities get discovered, this may leave the computer with an outdated operating system exposed to security risks.

RAM Limitations

When using 32 bits for memory addresses, the highest number would be: 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 = 4,294,967,295 That means that the maximum size of memory a 32-bit computer can use is 4 gigabytes. With 64 bits, the highest address in memory would be 18,446,744,073,709,551,616, and the maximum size of memory this architecture can use is 16 exabytes. This number is way beyond memory addressing needs for the foreseeable future. In practice, the most memory supported by a Windows workstation operating system is 2 terabytes.

chkdsk

Will verify the file system of a volume and fix logical file system corruption.

Windows Versions

Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 have many elements in common, but there are also some differences in what each provides.

Windows 8.1 Refinements

Windows 8.1 is a more refined version of Windows 8, with no fundamental changes. Most enhancements are related to the user interface, making it easier to use, especially on computers without touch displays.

Windows 7 File management

Windows Explorer is the utility to manage the files on the computer.

Windows Updates

Windows Updates are performed by running the Check for updates utility. These updates will frequently cover other installed Microsoft software, like Office, and development tools. Other software updates need to be checked for and installed separately. Windows updates can be configured to run automatically.

Desktop Styles/User Interface

Windows versions in the scope of the exam, between Windows 7 and Windows 10, provide a similar user experience. The important differences are Aero, Start Menu and Start Screen differences, and the Settings menu.

Workstation Operating Systems

Workstation operating systems are designed to be used on a desktop or a laptop computer by one person at a time. These operating systems provide a convenient graphical user interface (GUI) and access to files and applications on the computer.

Extended

You can have more than one logical drive.

Primary

You can have only one logical drive. Windows can only boot from a primary partition, so at least one is required.

Workgroup vs. Domain Setup

You will need to know how to set up a workgroup and set up a system as part of a domain. A workgroup could be a small department in a larger organization, or more likely a home user. Setting up a home workgroup is an easy way to allow printer sharing and file sharing with family. Businesses would more than likely use a domain controller that would provide secure, centralized logins to a very large group. This centralized facility simplifies managing a large network.

iOS

iOS is the operating system on Apple's iPhones and iPads. It cannot be installed on devices not manufactured by Apple.