Why Certify?

The Official CompTIA ITF+ Student Guide

CompTIA certifications help individuals build exceptional
careers in information technology. Why should you certify?
+ To prove you have the knowledge and skills for problem solving

+ To make you more competitive and employable

+ To qualify you for increased compensation and/or promotions

+ To open up new career opportunities

Visit comptiastore.com to purchase a voucher and schedule your certification exam

PRACTICE

Powerful Certification Exam Preparation

CompTIA CertMaster Practice is an online companion tool to help you prepare for your
The Official CompTIA

ITF+
CompTIA certification exam. Featuring question-first design, real-time learning analytics, and
content refreshers, CertMaster Practice quickly assesses what you already know and what you
still need to learn. For those topics where you need more support, CertMaster Practice provides
personalized remediation and feedback.

As your learning guide, CertMaster Practice helps you:

Student Guide
• Master information quickly

• Recall it when it counts

• Test with confidence

Visit certification.comptia.org/training for more information

Exam
FC0-U61 Exam FC0-U61

ISBN-13 978-164274-087-5
ISBN-10 1-64274-087-X

Ë|xHSLGOCy740875zv*:+:!:+:!
Official CompTIA Content Series for CompTIA Performance Certifications

CVR2.

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 Acknowledgements

The Official CompTIA ITF+ Study Guide (Exam FC0‑U61)

PROJECT TEAM

Thomas Reilly, Vice President Learning

Katie Hoenicke, Director of Product Management

James Chesterfield, Manager, Learning Content and Design

Becky Mann, Senior Manager, Product Development

James Pengelly, Senior Manager, Product Development

DISCLAIMER

While CompTIA, Inc. takes care to ensure the accuracy and quality of these materials, we cannot
guarantee their accuracy, and all materials are provided without any warranty whatsoever, including, but
not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The use of
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CompTIA if you have any concerns regarding such links or External Sites.
TRADEMARK NOTICES

CompTIA® and the CompTIA logo are registered trademarks of CompTIA, Inc., in the U.S. and other
countries. All other product and service names used may be common law or registered trademarks of their
respective proprietors.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright © 2019 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Screenshots used for illustrative purposes are the
property of the software proprietor. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this
publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without the prior written permission CompTIA, 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 100, Downers
Grove, IL 60515-5439.

This book conveys no rights in the software or other products about which it was written; all use or
licensing of such software or other products is the responsibility of the user according to terms and
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 Table of Contents Table of Contents

Course Introduction i

Table of Contents ....................................................................................... iii

About This Course ................................................................................... viii

Module 1 / Using Computers 1

Module 1 / Unit 1
Common Computing Devices 3

Information Technology .............................................................................. 4

Personal Computers (PC) ........................................................................... 6
Mobile Devices......................................................................................... 10
Internet of Things (IoT) Devices ................................................................ 11

Module 1 / Unit 2
Using a Workstation 14

Setting up a PC System............................................................................ 15
Ergonomic Concepts ................................................................................ 17
Navigating an OS ..................................................................................... 18
Using Input Devices ................................................................................. 26
Recognizing Desktop Icons ...................................................................... 30
Working with Windows ............................................................................. 31

Module 1 / Unit 3
Using an OS 39

Functions of an Operating System ............................................................ 40

Types of Operating System ...................................................................... 42
Virtualization ............................................................................................ 44
Microsoft Windows ................................................................................... 46
Apple macOS and iOS ............................................................................. 49
Linux, Chrome, and Android ..................................................................... 51
File Explorer............................................................................................. 53
Windows Settings and Control Panel ........................................................ 55
Using a Web Browser ............................................................................... 58

Module 1 / Unit 4
Managing an OS 65

Management Interfaces ............................................................................ 66

Process and Service Management ............................................................ 67
Memory and Disk Management ................................................................ 70
Command Line Interfaces ......................................................................... 73
Access Control and Protection .................................................................. 74

Module 1 / Unit 5
Troubleshooting and Support 85

Support and Troubleshooting .................................................................... 86

Identifying the Problem ............................................................................. 87
Understanding the Problem ...................................................................... 89
Resolving and Documenting the Problem .................................................. 91
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Table of Contents Troubleshooting PC Issues ....................................................................... 94
Getting Support ........................................................................................ 95
Using a Search Engine ............................................................................. 98

Module 1 / Summary
Using Computers 105

Module 2 / Using Apps and Databases 107

Module 2 / Unit 1
Using Data Types and Units 109

Notational Systems................................................................................. 110

Units of Measure .................................................................................... 112
Data Types............................................................................................. 114
Data Representation ............................................................................... 115
The Value of Data................................................................................... 117
Intellectual Property ................................................................................ 118
Data-driven Business Decisions .............................................................. 121

Module 2 / Unit 2
Using Apps 124

Installing Applications ............................................................................. 125

Application Management......................................................................... 127
Managing Software Licensing ................................................................. 130
Productivity Software .............................................................................. 132
Collaboration Software............................................................................ 134
Business Software .................................................................................. 137

Module 2 / Unit 3
Programming and App Development 144

Programming Logic ................................................................................ 145

Programming Languages ........................................................................ 148
Programming Concepts .......................................................................... 151
Object-Oriented Programming................................................................. 155
Scripting Languages ............................................................................... 156
Application Platforms and Delivery .......................................................... 158

Module 2 / Unit 4
Using Databases 178

Database Concepts ................................................................................ 179

Database Structures ............................................................................... 181
Relational Methods ................................................................................. 185
Database Access Methods...................................................................... 187
Application Architecture Models .............................................................. 188

Module 2 / Summary
Using Apps and Databases 205

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 Module 3 / Using Computer Hardware 207 Table of Contents

Module 3 / Unit 1
System Components 209

Selecting a Computer ............................................................................. 210

Motherboard Components ...................................................................... 212
Processors............................................................................................. 213
Features of Processors .......................................................................... 214
System and Expansion Bus Technologies ............................................... 216
System Cooling ...................................................................................... 218
BIOS and UEFI System Firmware ........................................................... 220

Module 3 / Unit 2
Using Device Interfaces 225

Computer Port and Connector Types ...................................................... 226

USB and Firewire ................................................................................... 227
Graphics Devices ................................................................................... 229
Graphic Device Interfaces....................................................................... 230
Input Devices ......................................................................................... 233
Configuring Peripherals .......................................................................... 236
Bluetooth ............................................................................................... 239
RF and Near Field Communications (NFC) ............................................. 241
Networking Interfaces ............................................................................. 241

Module 3 / Unit 3
Using Peripheral Devices 249

Installing and Uninstalling Peripherals ..................................................... 250

Display Devices ..................................................................................... 254
Display Settings ..................................................................................... 257
Multimedia Ports and Devices ................................................................. 261
Printer Types ......................................................................................... 264
Installing and Configuring a Printer ......................................................... 265
Scanners and Cameras .......................................................................... 268

Module 3 / Unit 4
Using Storage Devices 276

System Memory ..................................................................................... 277

Mass Storage Devices............................................................................ 279
Optical Discs and Drives......................................................................... 281
Removable Flash Memory Devices ......................................................... 284

Module 3 / Unit 5
Using File Systems 289

Managing the File System ...................................................................... 290

Folders and Directories .......................................................................... 293
File Explorer........................................................................................... 295
Files ...................................................................................................... 298
File Attributes and Permissions ............................................................... 304
Searching for Folders and Files .............................................................. 307
File Types and Extensions ...................................................................... 310

Module 3 / Summary
Using Computer Hardware 325
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Table of Contents Module 4 / Using Networks 327

Module 4 / Unit 1
Networking Concepts 329

Network Components ............................................................................. 330

TCP/IP ................................................................................................... 332
Internet Protocol ..................................................................................... 335
Packet Delivery and Forwarding .............................................................. 337
DNS and URLs....................................................................................... 338
Internet Application Services ................................................................... 341

Module 4 / Unit 2
Connecting to a Network 346

Internet Service Types ............................................................................ 347

Wireless Internet Services ...................................................................... 349
Setting Up a Wireless Network ................................................................ 351
Configuring a Wireless Client .................................................................. 355
Connecting to an Enterprise Network ...................................................... 356

Module 4 / Unit 3
Secure Web Browsing 365

Safe Browsing Practices ......................................................................... 366

Configuring Browser Security .................................................................. 368
Managing Cookies and PII ...................................................................... 372
Digital Certificates and Anti-phishing ....................................................... 377
Enabling a Firewall ................................................................................. 378

Module 4 / Unit 4
Using Shared Storage 386

Local Network Sharing and Storage ........................................................ 387

Windows File Sharing ............................................................................. 389
Hosted Sharing and Storage ................................................................... 393
Backups ................................................................................................. 397
Windows Backup .................................................................................... 400

Module 4 / Unit 5
Using Mobile Devices 410

Using a Mobile Device ............................................................................ 411

Mobile Applications and App Stores ........................................................ 414
Network Connectivity .............................................................................. 415
Email Configuration ................................................................................ 417
Synchronization and Data Transfer ......................................................... 418

Module 4 / Summary
Using Networks 421

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 Module 5 / Security Concepts 423 Table of Contents

Module 5 / Unit 1
Security Concerns 425

Computer Security Basics....................................................................... 426

Social Engineering ................................................................................. 429
Business Continuity ................................................................................ 432
Disaster Recovery .................................................................................. 435

Module 5 / Unit 2
Using Best Practices 437

Securing Devices ................................................................................... 438

Malware ................................................................................................. 439
Preventing Malware Infections ................................................................ 443
Spam ..................................................................................................... 448
Software Sources and Patch Management .............................................. 452

Module 5 / Unit 3
Using Access Controls 461

Access Controls ..................................................................................... 462

User Account Types ............................................................................... 464
Authentication Factors ............................................................................ 465
Uses of Encryption ................................................................................. 470
Password Cracking and Management ..................................................... 473

Module 5 / Unit 4
Behavioral Security Concepts 477

Policies and Procedures ......................................................................... 478

Handling Confidential Information ........................................................... 479
Acceptable Use Policies ......................................................................... 480
Expectations of Privacy .......................................................................... 482

Module 5 / Summary
Managing Security 485

Taking the Exam 487

Career Advice 497

Glossary 507

Index 531

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About This Course
About This Course

CompTIA ITF+ (IT Fundamentals) Certification is the essential qualification

for beginning a career in IT Support. CompTIA (comptia.org) is a not-for-profit
trade association set up in 1982 to advance the interests of IT professionals
and companies. It is most well-known for its vendor-neutral IT certifications.

The CompTIA ITF+ exam will certify the successful candidate has the
knowledge and skills required to identify and explain the basics of
computing, IT infrastructure, software development and database use. In
addition, candidates will demonstrate their knowledge to install software,
establish basic network connectivity and identify/prevent basic security risks.
Further, this exam will assess the candidate’s knowledge in the areas of
troubleshooting theory and preventative maintenance of devices. This exam
is intended for candidates who are advanced end users, are considering a
career in IT, and are interested in pursuing professional-level certifications,
such as A+.

CompTIA ITF+ Exam Objectives Blueprint

This course will prepare you to take the FC0-U61 exam to obtain the ITF+
certification and help you to learn some of the basic principles and techniques
of providing PC, mobile, applications, and network support.

Course Outcomes
This course and the ITF+ certification are designed as the starting point for a
career in IT support. Obtaining ITF+ certification will show that you have the
aptitude to pursue a professional-level certification, such as CompTIA A+.

Completing this course will also help you acquire the knowledge and skills to
set up and use a computer at home securely and keep it in good working order
and to provide informal support for PCs and simple computer networks to your
colleagues in a small business.

On course completion, you will be able to:

■ Set up a computer workstation and use basic software applications.

■ Explain the functions and types of devices used within a computer system.

■ Apply basic computer maintenance and support principles.

■ Describe some principles of software and database development.

■ Configure computers and mobile devices to connect to home networks and

to the Internet.

■ Identify security issues affecting the use of computers and networks.

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 Target Audience and Course Prerequisites About This Course

CompTIA ITF+ is aimed at those considering a career in IT and computer-

related fields. Consequently, there are no special prerequisites to start this
course. We have made the assumption that you don't know much about how
computers or software work, or even how to use them. Some experience with
using a keyboard and mouse will be helpful but is not essential.

About the Course Material

The CompTIA ITF+ exam contains assessment items based on objectives and
example content listed in the exam blueprint, published by CompTIA. The
objectives are divided into six domains, as listed below:

CompTIA ITF+ Certification Domains Weighting

1.0 IT Concepts and Terminology 17%
2.0 Infrastructure 22%
3.0 Applications and Software 18%
4.0 Software Development 12%
5.0 Database Fundamentals 11%
6.0 Security 20%

This course is divided into five modules, each covering a different subject
area. Each module is organized into several units, containing related topics for
study.

■ Module 1 / Using Computers

■ Module 2 / Using Apps and Databases

■ Module 3 / Using Computer Hardware

■ Module 4 / Using Networks

■ Module 5 / Security Concepts

As you can see, the course modules do not map directly to the CompTIA exam
domains. Instead, we try to present topics and technologies in the order that
will make it easiest for you to understand them. Each module and each unit
starts with a list of the CompTIA domain objectives and content examples that
will be covered so that you can track what you are learning against the original
CompTIA syllabus. Each unit in a module is focused on explaining the exam
objectives and content examples. Each unit has a set of review questions
designed to test your knowledge of the topics covered in the unit.

At the back of the book there is an index to help you look up key terms and
concepts from the course and a glossary of terms and concepts used.

Page ix
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About This Course The following symbols are used to indicate different features in the course
book:

Icon Meaning
A tip or warning about a feature or topic.

A reference to another unit or to a website where

more information on a topic can be found.

Review questions to help test what you have

learned.

A hands-on lab exercise for you to practice skills

learned during the lesson.

Page x
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 Completing the Labs About This Course

The practical lab exercises in this book are designed to be completed on a

typical home computer running Microsoft Windows 10 Spring Creators Update
(1803).

You should note some conventions used in the lab instructions:

■ Text in bold refers to a command or part of a dialog.

■ Text in Bold, Courier font represents something you should type.

■ Text in COURIER FONT CAPITALS represents a key or key combo. For

example, CTRL+C means press the CTRL and C keys at the same time.

Finding a Job
The CompTIA ITF+ certification is a great thing to have to prove to employers
that you know the basics of Information Technology and support, but it is not a
golden ticket into employment. To get a job, you need to know where to look,
how to write an effective resume and application letter, how to prepare for an
interview, and generally how to impress potential employers.

Knowing where to start when looking for a job can be daunting, so the last
section of the course contains a guide to help you research the local job
market, write a resume and application letter, and prepare for an interview.

There's also advice on the next steps you might take in your career in IT
support.

Four Steps to Getting Certified

This training material can help you prepare for and pass a related CompTIA
certification exam or exams. In order to achieve CompTIA certification, you
must register for and pass a CompTIA certification exam or exams. In order to
become CompTIA certified, you must:

1) Review the certification objectives at

certification.comptia.org/certifications/it-fundamentals to make sure you
know what is covered in the exam.

2) After you have studied for the certification, use the "Taking the Exam"
chapter to find tips on booking the test, the format of the exam, and what to
expect. You can also take a free assessment and sample test from
CompTIA at certification.comptia.org/training/practice-questions to get an
idea what type of questions might be on the exam.

3) Purchase an exam voucher on the CompTIA Marketplace, which is located

at help.comptia.org.

4) Select a certification exam provider and schedule a time to take your exam.
You can find exam providers at www.pearsonvue.com/comptia/.

Page xi
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About This Course Visit CompTIA online at comptia.org to learn more about getting CompTIA
certified.

CompTIA Career Pathway

This course will particularly benefit you in pursuing a career in supporting
desktop personal computer users, in job roles such as Support Engineer,
Maintenance Engineer, Desktop Engineer, Computer Administrator, or PC
Support Analyst.

CompTIA offers a number of credentials that form a foundation for your career
in technology and allow you to pursue specific areas of concentration.
Depending on the path you choose to take, CompTIA certifications help you
build upon your skills and knowledge, supporting learning throughout your
entire career.

View the CompTIA career pathway at certification.comptia.org/why-certify/roadmap.

Page xii
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 Module 1 / Using Computers Using Computers

The following CompTIA ITF+ domain objectives and examples are covered in
this module:

CompTIA ITF+ Certification Domains Weighting

1.0 IT Concepts and Terminology 17%
2.0 Infrastructure 22%
3.0 Applications and Software 18%
4.0 Software Development 12%
5.0 Database Fundamentals 11%
6.0 Security 20%

Refer To Domain Objectives/Examples

Unit 1.1 / Common 1.3 Illustrate the basics of computing and
Computing Devices processing.
Input • Processing • Output • Storage
2.6 Compare and contrast common computing
devices and their purposes.
Mobile phones • Tablets • Laptops • Workstations •
Servers • Gaming consoles • IoT (Home
appliances, Home automation devices,
Thermostats, Security systems, Modern cars, IP
cameras, Streaming media devices, Medical
devices)
Unit 1.2 / Using a This unit does not cover specific exam domain
Workstation objectives or content examples.
Unit 1.3 / Using an 3.1 Explain the purpose of operating systems.
OS Interface between applications and hardware •
Types of OS (Mobile device OS, Workstation OS,
Server OS, Embedded OS, Firmware, Hypervisor
[Type 1])
Unit 1.4 / Managing 3.1 Manage applications and software.
an OS Disk management • Process
management/scheduling (Kill process/end task) •
Memory management • Access control/protection
3.2 Compare and contrast components of an
operating system.
Services • Processes • Utilities (Task scheduling) •
Interfaces (Console/command line, GUI)

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Module 1 / Unit 1
Refer To Domain Objectives/Examples
Unit 1.5 / 1.6 Explain the troubleshooting methodology.
Troubleshooting and Identify the problem (Gather information, Duplicate
Support the problem, if possible, Question users, Identify
symptoms, Determine if anything has changed,
Approach multiple problems individually) •
Research knowledge base/Internet, if applicable •
Establish a theory of probable cause (Question the
obvious, Consider multiple approaches, Divide and
conquer) • Test the theory to determine the 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) • Establish a plan of action
to resolve the problem and identify potential effects
• Implement the solution or escalate as necessary
• Verify full system functionality and, if applicable,
implement preventive measures • Document
findings/lessons learned, actions and outcomes

Page 2
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 Module 1 / Unit 1 Common Computing
Devices

Common Computing Devices

Objectives
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

□ Describe the basics of how a computer processes data.

□ Describe the functions and capabilities of types of computing devices, such

as PCs, servers, mobiles, and home automation.

Syllabus Objectives and Content Examples

This unit covers the following exam domain objectives and content examples:

□ 1.3 Illustrate the basics of computing and processing.

Input • Processing • Output • Storage

□ 2.6 Compare and contrast common computing devices and their purposes.
Mobile phones • Tablets • Laptops • Workstations • Servers • Gaming
consoles • IoT (Home appliances, Home automation devices, Thermostats,
Security systems, Modern cars, IP cameras, Streaming media devices,
Medical devices)

Page 3
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Module 1 / Unit 1
Information Technology

An Information Technology (IT) system is one that processes, stores, and

transfers information. Information can take many different forms including
words, numbers, pictures, sound, or video. These can all be represented in an
IT system using nothing more complicated than the binary digits one and zero.
When information is stored and processed like this, it is often referred to as
data. An IT system could use computers, the telecommunications network, and
other programmable electronic devices. In fact, because of the importance of
communications in IT, the term ICT (Information and Communications
Technology) is often used in preference to IT.

We live in an "Information Age." The effective use of information is regarded as

the defining element of the 21st century, as important as the industrial
revolution before it. Computers and software programs enable us to process
data and perform certain tasks much more quickly than we could ourselves. IT
systems are very flexible and can be made to perform a variety of different
tasks. IT networks, such as the global Internet, allow us to distribute and share
information quickly.

Computer Hardware and Software

A computer is a system that manipulates data according to a set of
instructions. Three elements are required for a computer to perform useful
tasks: hardware, software, and the computer's user.

■ The devices and components that make up a computer system are called
hardware. Many parts are contained within the computer's case. Other
parts are connected to the computer and are referred to as peripheral
devices. Most peripherals allow information to be entered (input) and
retrieved (output).

■ The instructions that a computer follows come from software (computer

programs). A basic software environment is established by the computer's
Operating System (OS). Software applications, such as word processors,
spreadsheet programs, and payroll programs, can be installed within the OS
to extend the range of things that the computer can be used to do. Having
different software applications means that the same hardware can be put to a
variety of uses.

■ Software provides an interface for the user to control the computer

system. The user creates data files by inputting information and selecting
commands from the interface.

Basics of Computing and Processing

A good way to understand the functions of the different components of the PC
is to think of them working as interfaces. Input and output hardware devices,
such as a mouse and a monitor, provide an interface between the user and the
computer; the operating system provides an interface between hardware
components and software applications. In general terms, this works as follows:
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 ■ When a user selects a command (perhaps using a mouse to click an icon Common Computing
Devices
on the application toolbar), the software application receives the
command and, using the functions of the operating system, converts it
into a series of instructions, which are stored in system memory,
commonly referred to as Random Access Memory (RAM). Similarly,
when a user types using the keyboard or scans a picture, the input is
converted to digital data and stored in memory.

■ The Central Processing Unit (CPU) retrieves each instruction or data file
from memory and processes it.

■ The CPU then writes the result back to memory and directs other
components to perform actions. For example, it may instruct the display
subsystem to update the image shown to the user or the storage
subsystem to save data to a disk.

We'll discuss the types and features of system components such

as the CPU and RAM in detail in Unit 3.1.

All the instructions and data processed by a computer are ultimately

represented as strings of 1s and 0s. These 1s and 0s are represented as on or
off states in the transistors that make up CPU and RAM components. A CPU
can process billions of these binary instructions per second, which gives it the
illusion of being able to "think."

Input, Output, Processing, and Storage

The four functions listed above represent most of the ways that data moves
through a computer system:

■ Input—the computer receives data entered by the user through peripheral

devices, such as mice, keyboards, scanners, cameras, and microphones.

■ Processing—the data is written to memory and manipulated by the CPU,

acting on instructions from the operating system and applications software.

■ Output—the processed data is shown or played to the user through an

output device, such as a monitor or loudspeaker system.

■ Storage—the data may be written to different types of storage devices,

such as hard disks or optical discs, because data stored in most types of
system memory is only preserved while the computer is powered on.

Additionally, most computers are configured in networks, allowing them to

exchange data. You can think of networking as a special class of input and
output, but it is probably more helpful to conceive of it as a separate function.

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Module 1 / Unit 1
Personal Computers (PC)

There are many different types of computer. Some of the first types of
mainframe computers created in the 1960s and 1970s are unrecognizable
from the sorts of desktop and laptop computers you may be familiar with. The
term "Personal Computer" is generally understood to apply to versions of the
IBM PC, developed in 1981. The IBM PC was based on a microprocessor or
Central Processing Unit (CPU) designed by Intel. This is also called the x86
architecture or platform. This type of computer was fundamentally different to
mainframes as it was operated directly by the end user.

While technologies and performance have completely transformed what we

know as PCs from the boxes available in 1981, most workstation and laptop
personal computers designed for home and office use are still based on the
IBM PC design and x86 platform. As this PC platform matured, it came to be
associated with use of Microsoft's Windows operating system software.
Hardware and software development for PCs is often (but not exclusively)
undertaken with Windows compatibility in mind.

In the last couple of decades however, personal computers have become

available as much smaller, more portable devices such as tablets and
smartphones. These devices can use different hardware platforms and
operating systems. This has been coupled with the growth of the Internet as a
global data communications network. As the miniaturization of electronics
continues, many "ordinary" appliances and systems are being designed with
processing and communications capabilities, creating an Internet of Things
(IoT).

Desktop and Workstation Computers

A workstation type of PC is housed in a case that can sit on or under a desk.
Consequently, they are often referred to as desktop PCs or just as desktops.
A desktop computer can be used independently by a single user to run
powerful software applications with many functions. It can also be used as a
network client to access shared resources.

PC system showing processing and storage components (within case), input components
(keyboard and mouse), and output components (display, speakers, printer). Image © 123rf.com.
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 Common Computing
Devices
Sometimes the terms PC, desktop computer, and workstation are
used interchangeably. Quite often however, the term workstation is
used to mean a particularly powerful type of desktop computer.

Some of a PC's components are attached to a motherboard contained within

the computer's case. However, a desktop PC also requires the use of
peripheral devices, connected to the motherboard via ports aligned to holes
in the case. Some peripheral devices, such as a mouse and keyboard for input
and a monitor for output, are essential. Others, such as speakers and
microphone or a printer, are optional.

The advantage of desktops is that the basic design can be modified with higher
or lower specified components and optional features, making a particular
model better suited to different tasks. A workstation-class computer with higher
specification components, such as CPU and system memory, will cost more
but be able to process data faster. The computer's performance is largely
determined by the following factors:

■ The speed of the CPU determines the basic speed of the computer.

■ More system memory makes it possible to run more applications

simultaneously and process large amounts of data more quickly.

■ The capacity of the main storage drive determines how much data can be
stored on the computer when it is switched off.

■ Optional components extend the range of things the computer can do (for
example, a sound card makes it possible to play audio while a webcam
allows sound and video recording).

■ The quality of peripherals such as the display, mouse, and keyboard make
the computer more comfortable to use (this is referred to as ergonomics).

We are simplifying a bit here. In fact, the type and speed of the
main storage drive also has a big impact on system speed. Legacy
hard drives were a serious performance bottleneck, but these are
being replaced by solid state drives, which can work much more
quickly. Storage devices are discussed in more detail in Unit 3.4.
The graphics subsystem is also an important performance factor.

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Module 1 / Unit 1 Desktop PCs can also be purchased as "all-in-one" units. All-in-one means that
the computer components (except the keyboard and mouse) are contained
within the monitor case.

All-in-One PC—the system components are all contained within the monitor case. Image ©
123rf.com.

Servers
A server is any computer providing services to other computers, but usually
the term server implies a powerful computer that supports a number of users
simultaneously in a computer network. Most servers use the same type of
components as a desktop. The main difference is that the components are
more powerful and more reliable, and consequently more expensive. If a
desktop PC stops working, a single user may be unable to do their job; if a
server computer stops working, tens or even hundreds of users may not be
able to do their jobs. Consequently, servers need to be very reliable. This is
achieved by specifying high quality components and also by using extra copies
of components for redundancy. This makes a server system fault tolerant.

Server systems are also, usually designed to be easy to expand and upgrade
with additional or improved components. Very often, server computers use a
special type of case designed to fit into a steel rack shelving system.

You should also understand that the term server can refer either to
hardware or software. A hardware server may be running many
software servers and sometimes different types of software servers.
Examples of types of software servers include web servers, email
Page 8 servers, database servers, authentication servers, and so on.
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 Laptops Common Computing
Devices

A laptop computer is one that integrates the display, system components, and
input/output devices within a single, portable case (or chassis).

Distinctive features of a laptop computer, including the built-in screen, Integrated keyboard,
touchpad pointer control, and I/O ports (on both sides and rear of chassis). Image © 123rf.com.

The main features distinguishing laptops from desktop PCs are:

■ Size and weight—laptops weigh between 1 and 4 kg (2–9 lbs).

■ Display type—laptops use flat-panel display technologies to provide

lightweight, slimline screens that are built into the case. Laptop screen
sizes come in the ranges 11–14", 15–16", and 17"+.

■ Input devices—the main input devices are integrated into the case, such
as a built-in keyboard, a touchpad instead of mouse, and/or a touchscreen.

■ Power source—portable computers can be run from internal battery packs

as well as from building power.

■ Components—laptops often use different system components (CPU,

RAM, and graphics) that are smaller, lighter, and draw less power than
desktop versions.

■ Networking—portable computers use wireless radio technologies to

connect to networks rather than cabled connections.

Small laptops can also be described as notebooks and subnotebooks, while

bigger models are often called "desktop replacements." The term Ultrabook is
used for laptops meeting a particular Intel specification for performance,
size/weight, and battery life. There are also hybrid laptops that can be used
like a tablet (see below) as well as like a traditional laptop.

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Module 1 / Unit 1 PC and Laptop Vendors
Most companies producing PCs and laptops are referred to as Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). This is because rather than making each
component that goes into a PC, they source components such as CPUs and
RAM modules from manufacturers and put them together as a branded PC
system.

While there are many vendors serving local and special interest markets,
global PC manufacturing is dominated by Dell, Hewlett-Packard (HP)/Compaq,
Lenovo (previously IBM's PC division), Acer, and Huawei with Samsung, Sony,
Toshiba, and Asus also strong in the laptop and hybrid markets. Another
personal computer vendor, Apple, ship Macintosh computers with a different
operating system (Apple Mac OS) and a different hardware platform to the IBM
PC-compatible vendors. There are also chromebooks, laptops built to run
Chrome OS and interface primarily with Google's web apps.

The market for server computers is dominated by Dell, HP Enterprise (HPE),

and Lenovo.

Mobile Devices

Many of the uses of PCs and laptops have been superseded by smaller
personal devices or by specialized devices.

Smartphones and Tablets

A smartphone is a device with roughly the same functionality as a personal
computer that can be held in one hand. Previous handheld computers, known
as Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), and earlier types of mobile phones with
some software functionality (feature phones), were hampered by clumsy user
interfaces. Modern smartphones use touchscreen displays, making them much
easier to operate. Most smartphones have a screen size between 4.5" and
5.7".

Typical smartphone form factor. Image © 123rf.com.

Prior to the Apple iPad, tablet PCs were usually laptops with touchscreens.
The iPad defined a new form factor; smaller than a laptop and with no
Page 10 keyboard. Tablet screens tend to be sized between 7” and 10”.
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 Common Computing
Devices
Smartphones sized between the 5" and 7" form factors are often
called phablets.

Many Windows mobile devices adopt a hybrid approach where a laptop can be
converted into a tablet by flipping the screen. Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet is
available with a detachable keyboard, which can also function as a cover for
the screen. Other vendors are also producing "two-in-one" devices that can
function as both a laptop and a tablet.

The main smartphone and tablet vendors are Apple and Samsung. Other
vendors include LG, HTC, Huawei, Motorola/Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia, Sony,
and Amazon.

Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

Aside from devices easily recognizable as "computers," your home and office
are quite likely populated by other consumer electronics devices connected to
each other and to the Internet. The 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.

Home Automation
Pretty much anything from a clock to an alarm system or a refrigerator can be
controlled over the Internet by home automation software, if the appliance or
device is "smart." Often, sitting at the heart of this automation, is a hub to which
other devices connect. Hubs are usually controlled using voice recognition
systems and smartphone apps. Some of the major vendors include Amazon
(Alexa voice recognition), Samsung (S Voice), Apple (Siri), and Logitech (working
with either Alexa or Google Assistant), but there are many others.

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.

Some of the specific home automation product categories include:

■ Thermostats—monitor and adjust your home or office Heating, Ventilation,

and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controls from an app installed on your phone.

■ Security systems—monitor and control alarms, locks, lighting, and

videophone entry systems remotely.

■ IP cameras—often used for security, these devices connect to Internet

Protocol (IP)-based networks such as the Internet and support direct
upload and sync to cloud storage for remote monitoring. Page 11
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Module 1 / Unit 1 ■ Home appliances—check the contents of your refrigerator from your
smartphone while out shopping or start the washing machine cycle so that
it has finished just as you get back to your house.

■ Streaming media—play content stored on a storage device through any

smart speaker or TV connected to the home network.

Modern Cars and Drones

Modern motor vehicles use a substantial amount of electronics. As well as
computer systems to control the vehicle's engine and brakes, there may be
embedded systems for in-vehicle entertainment and for navigation (sat-nav)
using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to identify the vehicle's precise
location. Some vehicles are now, also fitted with a "black box," or event data
recorder, that can log the car's telemetry (acceleration, braking, and position).

There are also sophisticated systems to control the vehicle on behalf of the
driver, including automatic collision detection and avoidance, and parking
assist. Companies are experimenting with fully-automated self-driving or
autonomous vehicles.

Another rapidly developing sector is that of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

(UAV). This sector ranges from full-size fixed wing aircraft to much smaller
multi-rotor hover drones.

Medical Devices
Medical devices represent another class of devices where use of electronics
to remotely monitor and configure the appliance is expanding rapidly. It is
important to recognize that use of these devices is not confined to hospitals
and clinics but includes portable devices such as cardiac monitors/defibrillators
and insulin pumps. These allow doctors and nurses to remotely monitor a
patient and potentially to adjust dosage levels or other settings without the
patient having to visit the care provider.

Gaming Consoles
A gaming console contains many of the same components as a workstation.
Gaming consoles have powerful CPUs and graphics processors, plus Ethernet
and Wi-Fi for wired and wireless home networking and Internet connectivity.
Web cameras and microphones are also available as peripherals. The main
difference to a workstation is that a console is designed to be operated by a
gaming pad rather than a keyboard and mouse, though these are often also
available as options. A gaming console would use an HD (High Definition) TV
for a display.

The market for consoles is dominated by Sony (PlayStation), Microsoft (Xbox),

and Nintendo (Wii and Switch).

There are also handheld game consoles, such as Nintendo's 3DS and Switch,
and Sony's Vita. These come with Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet or to other
consoles.
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 Common Computing
Devices

Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 1 / Common Computing Devices

Answer these questions to test what you have learned in this unit.

1) True or false? All types of computers use CPU and system memory.

2) What type of computer is most likely to need peripheral devices?

3) What type of computer is best suited for using in a job where you have to
make notes and be able to move around easily?

4) Why don't laptops make good servers?

5) Why isn't a smartphone a good tool for writing a report?

6) What type(s) of IoT appliance are less likely to be controlled via a home
automation hub?

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Module 1 / Unit 2
Module 1 / Unit 2
Using a Workstation

Objectives
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

□ Set up a computer system with regard for safety and healthy working
practices.

□ Navigate an OS and use input devices effectively.

Syllabus Objectives and Content Examples

This unit does not cover specific exam domain objectives or content examples.

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 Setting up a PC System Using a Workstation

When you install a computer system, you need to consider the following:

■ Is the environment suitable for the computer? Dust, dirt, heat (or extreme
cold), and dampness can be very damaging to computers.

■ Is the installation safe for yourself and passers-by? The main risks
associated with computer equipment are electrical and trip hazards.

■ Is the installation healthy to use? Improper use of computers, notably the

mouse and keyboard, is associated with a number of health risks.

Setting up a Personal Computer

Given the above, you should perform the following basic steps when setting up
a 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.

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Module 1 / Unit 2

Built-in cable management such as on this flat-panel monitor make it less likely trailing wires will
cause an accident.

You will learn how to identify ports and connectors in Unit 3.2.

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.

You start a computer by pressing the power switch, which will be marked by
the following symbol: . If the computer does not start, check that a power
cable connects the back of the computer to a wall socket and that the socket is
switched on.

Setting up a Laptop
You should follow the same basic principles when using a laptop for the first
time. Read the instruction manual and let the system acclimatize if it has just
been delivered. You will probably have to insert the battery pack, which should
clip into a slot on the underside of the laptop. When you use the laptop for the
first time, you will probably have to connect it to the building power supply
using the supplied AC adapter to charge the battery.

Obviously, you can use a laptop without connecting any peripherals, unlike a
desktop computer, but there may be some optional components to plug in.
When you have set up the laptop as explained in the documentation, use the
catch on the lid to open it. Press the power switch or key with the symbol
and wait for the laptop to start.
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 Ergonomic Concepts Using a Workstation

Ergonomics is the study of factors affecting the performance of people at

work. It is well established that a poor working environment can cause certain
health problems and decrease productivity.

Proper Keyboard and Mouse Placement

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a condition that occurs when the same task is
carried out repeatedly for a long period, making use of the same muscles
continuously. Symptoms can include muscle pain, numbness, tingling, prickly
heat, and loss of strength.

RSI has been linked with the use of keyboards and mice. When you use a
mouse, keep your wrist straight and rest your palm on the body of the mouse.
When using a keyboard, keep your forearms parallel with the keyboard. It will
help if you learn to touch-type. With both devices, avoid working with your
wrists bent, do not hunch your shoulders or bend forward, and take frequent
breaks, to stretch or walk around for instance.

Ergonomically-designed work area. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash.

Ergonomically designed, angled keyboards and molded mice are designed to

reduce the risk of strain injury. Using a mouse mat makes the action of the
mouse smoother and is therefore less straining.

Sitting Position and Monitor Placement

Sitting at a desk in a poor position can cause back pain. This is especially true
if you sit for a long period without getting up and stretching. To help prevent
back pain, monitors should be adjustable so that they can be positioned at the
correct height and chairs should provide support for the back and neck.

You should be able to sit up straight with the top of the monitor at or slightly
below eye level. You should be able to rest your feet flat on the floor
comfortably and your thighs should be parallel with the floor. You should be
able to hold your forearms level with the desk.

As you work, try to avoid hunching your shoulders forward and remember to
take frequent breaks to stretch your arms and legs.

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Module 1 / Unit 2

Position the monitor so that you can sit up straight. Photo by Samule Sun on Unsplash.

If you need to type a lot of text from a source document, use a copyholder to
position the source text at eye-level rather than flat on the desk.

For more detailed advice, read HP's Safety & Comfort Guide at
hp.com/ergo.

Navigating an OS

The main function of an operating system such as Microsoft Windows is to

provide a stable environment for different software applications to work
together. The 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.

CompTIA ITF+ is a vendor-neutral exam, so you will not be asked detailed

questions on how Windows works. The practical elements in this course are to
help you learn to use an operating system and use Microsoft Windows 10 as
an example. If you use a different version of Windows at home (or even a
different operating system), you should find that many of the skills you learn
are transferable, with a bit of effort.

One of the first set of tasks to master is to be able to sign in to Windows, start
applications, and use the features of the desktop.

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 Signing in to Windows Using a Workstation

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.

A sign in means that changes you make to the desktop are saved as your own
personal settings. It may also give you access to resources on a computer
network. At work, you will be given a sign in ID (a user name and password)
by your IT Department. At home you will create user accounts for yourself and
your family. Signing in using a password that only you know means that you
are authenticated as the valid owner of the computer account.

See Unit 1.3 for more details on creating accounts.

1) When Windows 10 has loaded, the Lock Screen is displayed. Press a key,
click the mouse, or (if you have a touchscreen) swipe to open the sign in
prompt.

Windows 10 lock screen—press a key or click with the mouse to start sign in. Screenshot used
with permission from Microsoft.

On an enterprise network or earlier version of Windows, you may

need to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to access the sign in prompt.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 2) The sign in prompt displays the last user account that accessed the
machine. If necessary, click the icon representing your account on the left
of the display.

Windows sign in screen. Enter a password or click the appropriate user icon to sign in with a
different account. Each account is represented by its own name and, optionally, a picture.
Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

3) With your user name shown, type your password into the box.

What you type will be shown as black dots so that no one else can see
your password. Note that the password is case-sensitive.

4) Point to the arrow button then click once (or press ENTER).

Windows will start and, after a few seconds, the desktop is shown.

Windows 10 uses a feature called Windows Hello to provide

support for sign in by using a PIN or by using biometrics, such as
fingerprint scanning or facial recognition. You can configure
Windows Hello in Settings, provided that you have appropriate
hardware installed for supporting the biometric authentication
mechanisms you want to use. See Unit 5.3 for more information
about different authentication methods.

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 Using the Desktop and Taskbar Using a Workstation

The desktop contains several tools to help you start and switch between
software applications. The desktop itself can contain shortcut icons used to
open applications, folders, and files.

Windows 10 desktop showing 1) Shortcut icon; 2) Start button; 3) Start Screen with apps and tiles;
4) Programs pinned to the taskbar; 5) Notification area. Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

The taskbar is principally used to manage open windows (applications and

files). It is usually positioned at the bottom of the desktop and may only appear
when you point the mouse at the bottom of the screen.

If the taskbar is not locked (using taskbar settings), it can be

dragged to different sides of the screen and resized using the
mouse. The Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode
setting makes the taskbar disappear unless the cursor is pointing at
it.

When you run applications, each program appears as an icon on the taskbar.
You can click the icons to switch between windows. Alternatively, hold the ALT
key then press TAB to cycle through the windows or on a touch-enabled
screen, swipe from the left edge. You can also click the Task View button

to list running programs. This is located to the right of the search box
on the taskbar.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 Each icon has a shortcut menu, allowing you to close the program or access
recently used documents. Pointing at an icon shows a preview of any open
windows, which you can select by clicking. Right-clicking an icon exposes a
context menu which you can use to perform functions that relate to that icon.
For example, right-clicking the icon for Microsoft Word exposes pinned and
recently opened document files.

The taskbar also contains "pinned" icons for frequently used programs, such
as email and web browser. Pinned items always remain on the taskbar. A
program with open windows is shown with a highlight. You can add, remove, or
reposition pinned items by dragging and dropping.

Notification area in Windows 10. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

The Notification Area on the right-hand side of the taskbar displays the
current time and icons for programs that run without a window, such as anti-
virus software, the volume control, battery meter, network status, and so on.
These icons have shortcut menus for enabling, disabling, and configuring the
related application or setting. You can configure what displays in the
notification area and also control application notification settings.

On a touchscreen, swiping in from the right of the screen is another

way of showing notifications.

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 Using the Start Screen Using a Workstation

The Start Screen in Windows 10, or Start Menu in earlier versions, is used to
manage apps and PC settings and launch desktop software applications. It is
accessed by clicking the Start button on the left-hand side of the taskbar or by

pressing the START key .

Windows 10 Start Screen in Tablet mode. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

The Start screen displays in full screen mode if your computer is in

tablet mode, otherwise, it displays as a menu. Tablet mode is
selected automatically (by default) on hybrid laptop/tablet devices.
For example, removing the keyboard from a Microsoft Surface
tablet or folding the screen of an HP X360 device over through 360
degrees puts Windows 10 into tablet mode. You can use Windows
10 settings to manually select tablet mode and to configure these
automatic behaviors.

To display all applications in tablet mode, click the All apps icon on the upper
left of the display. In desktop mode, all applications are displayed in Start on
the left side without intervention by the user.

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Module 1 / Unit 2

Viewing installed apps from the Start Screen in Windows 10 in tablet mode. Screenshot used with
permission from Microsoft.

Apps are installed and managed by using the Microsoft Store app.
Desktop software programs are managed with Control Panel. See
Unit 2.2 for more information about different types of software.

Any app, program, or file can be launched from the Start Screen by typing its
name and selecting the icon from the list of search results. The Search box is
on the taskbar next to Start.

Launching applications by using search. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.
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 Customizing the Start Screen and Taskbar Using a Workstation

You can configure the look and behavior of the tiles showing in Start. Select
Start > All Apps, right-click the application you want to configure, and select
Pin to Start. After a tile is pinned, you can configure it. Right-click the tile and
then choose from the following options:

■ Unpin from Start.

■ Resize (Select from Small, Medium, Large, and Wide).

■ Uninstall.

■ More (for Microsoft Store apps)—select from Turn Live Tile Off, Pin to
taskbar, Rate and review, Share.

■ More (for desktop applications)—select from Pin to taskbar, Run as

administrator, Open file location.

Configuring tiles. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Once you have pinned and configured your tiles on Start, you can group the
tiles. If you want to create a new group for your tiles, drag one of the tiles to an
unused area. Drag additional tiles to the new group. You can drag tiles
between groups if you want to move them. Hover your mouse above the new
group of tiles and type a name for your group.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 You can set options for how the taskbar and Start Menu are displayed. Select
Start > Settings > Personalization, and click Start or Taskbar as required.

Configuring taskbar settings. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Using Input Devices

To operate a PC, you need to be familiar with the operation of input devices,
such as a mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen.

Using a Mouse or Touchpad

The mouse or touchpad is used to select and move objects on the desktop
and in windows. Moving the mouse (or moving your finger on a pad) moves the
cursor.

■ To select an object such as an icon, point to it with the cursor then click the
main mouse button once. To open an object, double-click it with the main
mouse button.

You can configure the main mouse button as either the left or right
button depending on whether you are right- or left-handed. See
Unit 3.2 for notes on configuring mouse properties.
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 Using a Workstation

A touchpad will come with buttons and may also support tapping
the surface of the pad to perform a mouse click.

■ To select commands in menus and dialogs, point to the command or

button and click the main mouse button once.

■ To select the shortcut menu for an object, point the cursor at it then click
with the second mouse button (right-click).

Laptop touchpad—note the scroll areas and left and right buttons. Image © 123rf.com.

■ To move an icon or window, point to it and hold down the main mouse
button. Move the mouse to the target then release the button. This process
is called Drag and Drop.

■ To scroll within a window, rotate the scroll wheel or drag your finger in the
marked scroll area of the touchpad.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 Using a Keyboard
The keyboard is used for simple typing and also to issue commands.

Ideally, you should learn to touch type. This will make operating the computer
more comfortable and efficient. To touch type, you use the A to F and J to ;
keys as a "base" for your fingers. Once you have learned the position of the
other keys, you can reach for them without looking. For example, you use the
little finger on your left hand to press Q then return it to rest on A.

Most keyboards designed for use with Latin scripts use the
QWERTY key layout. There are different layouts though, such as
the small differences between US and UK layouts, the Dvorak
alternative layout for Latin script, and keyboards for different
scripts, such as Cyrillic. It is important that the keyboard type is set
correctly in the OS. See Unit 3.2 for notes on configuring keyboard
properties.

Additionally, hot keys or key combinations can be used to navigate between

and around windows. If you are not familiar with a computer keyboard, take
some time to identify some of the special keys:

■ ENTER (or RETURN) is usually used to confirm a command. ESC can often
be used to cancel a command.

■ CTRL and ALT are often used with other keys to activate a special command.
The ALT key also activates an application's menu. You can navigate menus
using the underlined access keys or using the ARROW keys.

Special keys on a PC keyboard. Image © 123rf.com.

Menus in Windows 10 are not shown until you press the ALT key.
Most other software applications show the menu all the time.

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 ■ TAB can be used in a Using a Workstation
window to move to the
next pane. SHIFT+TAB
moves back. Use the
ARROW keys and the PAGE
UP / DOWN, HOME, and END
to navigate between icons
or within a text file.

■ The SHIFT key is used to

type capitals or the
superscript symbol shown
on the key. You can toggle
CAPS LOCK on and off to
type in capitals without
holding down SHIFT. You
can also use the SHIFT
key with the ARROW keys Press ALT to show menus and use the underlined access
keys or arrow keys to navigate and ENTER to select an
to select multiple icons. item. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

■ When NUM LOCK is off, the keypad works like the ARROW keys; when it is
on, the keypad works like a calculator keypad.

On a laptop keyboard, there might not be a separate numeric

keypad. In this case, keypad functions marked on normal keys can
be toggled on or off.

■ Press START to display the Start Screen or Start Menu and enable Instant
Search. Press SHORTCUT to display a context menu for the selected object.

■ The function keys (F1, F2, and so on) perform special actions (for example,
F1 always activates the help file for an application).

■ BACKSPACE deletes the character to the left in a document or returns to the

previous window. DELETE erases the character to the right or deletes an
icon when working within a window.

■ 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.

Using a Touchscreen
Most portable devices can be operated using a touchscreen. Touchscreen
input is made by performing gestures or using the on-screen keyboard.
Some of the basic Windows 10 gestures are as follows:

■ Tap—pressing once is the same as a left mouse click.

■ Tap and hold—this is equivalent to a right-mouse click. For example, you

might swipe to select some content then tap and hold the selection to open
a "copy" command. This might also be implemented as a two-finger tap.
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Module 1 / Unit 2 ■ Pinch and stretch—using two fingers, either pinch them together to zoom in
or move them apart (stretch) to zoom out.

■ Swipe—as noted above, swiping from a particular screen edge performs

different actions. Swiping within an app window can also perform custom
actions, such as moving from page to page or screen to screen. Swiping
down from the top of the app window usually refreshes the content.

Most touchpads also have gesture support.

Recognizing Desktop Icons

You need to be familiar with some of the standard types of objects and
interface controls you see on-screen.

Icons are the pictures used in an operating system to represent folders, files,
and other system objects. The main types of icons are as follows:

■ File (or document) icons—data files have the picture of the

application used to edit the file on them. There are hundreds of different
types but the icon shows what type of data is in the file (text, pictures, or
music for instance) and which application is used to open it.

■ Shortcut icons—links to a file have an arrow icon

superimposed. Do not confuse a shortcut for the file itself. You can delete
the shortcut at any time without losing the information in the file itself.

In Windows, shortcuts to all your programs are located in the Start Menu or
Start Screen. Programs may also put shortcuts on the desktop, and you
can add desktop shortcuts to files or folders that you use often.

■ Folder icons—folders are used to store and organize files.

The type of icon also indicates what the folder contains (documents,
pictures, subfolders, and so on).

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 Using a Workstation

■ Application icons—these are the files that contain the

program itself. Contrast Word's program file shown here with the icon for a
Word document file shown above.

■ Device icons—hard disk drives store data saved or installed on the

computer. Removable drives have different icons, such as an optical drive
or USB thumb drive. You may also see an icon for printers and other
devices connected to the computer.

Hard Disk, Blu-Ray/DVD Drive, and Printer icons. Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

If you allow it, Windows can display vendor-specific icons for

compatible devices by downloading the image from the Internet.

Working with Windows

Every desktop application runs in a window. You can open multiple windows
and switch between them. All windows share some basic features in common.

Some windows are split into multiple panes; click or press TAB and
SHIFT+TAB to navigate between them. If the window is not large enough to
display its contents, a scroll bar is shown. Click the arrows or click the button
on the scroll bar to move it (or use the scroll wheel on the mouse).

The application controls are displayed as toolbars and/or a menu bar at the top
of the window.

Microsoft prefers the use of buttons or tools on a "ribbon" that

combines the functions of a menu bar and toolbar. A menu bar may
only be shown if you press the ALT key.

The Status bar shows useful information about whatever is selected in the rest
of the window. When selecting files, you can enter information about the file
here.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 A window can either fill the whole desktop or occupy a part of it. This is done
by clicking the Maximize /Restore button. To resize a window, you
can click-and-drag on the window's border. To move a window, click-and-drag
the title bar. Right-clicking the taskbar gives you options for arranging windows
in a single pattern.

The Minimize button hides the window from the desktop. You can re-
activate it by clicking its taskbar icon. You can also use the taskbar to switch
between windows.

Typical window layout with 1) Title bar; 2) Control icons; 3) Menu bar and toolbars; 4) Panes;
5) Scroll bars. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Right-click an empty part of the taskbar. If you right-click a window

button, you will get a different shortcut menu.

When working with a window, you can "shake" it to clear the

desktop of other windows or drag it to the edge of the screen to
"snap" it to an appropriate size relative to other windows.

You can work with several programs at the same time, but you should note that
each program takes up memory. If you open too many windows, your
computer will slow down. If you have finished using a program, close the
window to free up resources.

To close a window, either select Close or Exit from the File menu, click the

Close button , or press ALT+F4.

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 Using a Workstation

Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 2 / Using a Workstation

Answer these questions to test what you have learned in this unit.

1) What should you do before attempting to set up a new computer system?

2) When setting up a desktop computer, what factor should you consider

when deciding on the location of the system case?

3) What factors should you consider when positioning input and output
devices?

4) You have to sign in to Windows—does it matter if the CAPS LOCK light on

the keyboard is activated?

5) You have to open a word processing application but you cannot see an
icon on the desktop. What should you do?

6) Your colleague has to run many applications at the same time and finds it
difficult to know which icon to choose when switching between them. What
alternative method could you suggest?

7) Your colleague is using a laptop and you notice that he laboriously clicks
the mouse repeatedly to scroll through the document you are co-editing.
What technique could he use to be more productive?

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Module 1 / Unit 2

Lab 1 / Setting up the Computer

If you happen to have a new computer, complete this lab to set it up correctly.
If you are already using a computer, run through the steps to check that it is
set up safely.

1) Read the PC's instruction manual and make sure the contents listed on the
box are all present.

2) Put the system unit on the desk or floor—remember the following points:

○ Close enough to an electrical outlet.

○ Close enough to your desk so that cables for the mouse and keyboard
are not stretched.

○ 6" space around the unit for air to circulate freely.

○ Not positioned close to a radiator and ideally not exposed to direct

sunlight.

3) Position the monitor on your desk and adjust it and your chair so that the
top of the screen is level with your eyes.

4) Connect the monitor to the port on the system unit, using the connector as
shown in your system documentation.

5) Connect the mouse and keyboard to the ports on the system unit, using the
connector as shown in your system documentation.

6) Try to keep the cables tidy so that they do not trail under your desk or cross
walkways.

7) Plug the monitor into a building power outlet or into the power socket on
the system unit (check the system documentation to find out how the
monitor is powered).

8) Plug the power cable into the back of the system unit and then into the
building power. Turn on the building power wall switch.

9) Press the power switch on the monitor then the power switch on the PC.

10) Wait for the computer to start ("boot"). As the PC powers up, listen and
look for the following signs that the computer is operating normally:

○ Power LED comes on

○ Fans start spinning

○ Single short beep (most computers these days do not beep though)

○ Hard disk activity (LED flickers and there may be some soft noise
[grinding or clicking indicates a problem])
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 Using a Workstation

Lab 2 / Navigating the Windows User Interface

In this lab, you will sign in to your computer and explore the features of the
Start Screen, desktop, and taskbar. If you are using a new computer, a wizard
may run to help you set up your computer (choose a user name and password
and so on). Refer to the computer's setup guide to complete this, then continue
with the lab. It is assumed you are using Windows 10 Spring Creators Update
(1803). If you are not, steps might vary slightly.

Exercise 1 / Exploring the Start Screen

In this exercise, you will learn to navigate around the Start Screen.

1) Press a key to open the privacy shade then, if necessary, click the icon
representing your computer account.

2) With your account name and picture showing, type your password.
Remember that this is case-sensitive, so upper and lower case characters
are treated as different.

3) Press ENTER or click the arrow button . Wait for the desktop to load.

4) Point to the Start button and click once to show the Start Screen
menu.

5) On the right-hand side of the taskbar, click Notifications and then

click Tablet mode. Notice that Start is now displayed as a full screen.

6) At the top of the Start Screen on the left-hand side, click All Apps
then locate and click the Tips tile.

7) Take a few minutes to read the various articles.

8) Press the START key to switch to the Start Screen again.

9) Back on the main part of the Start Screen practice customizing the tile
layout:

○ Drag tiles to new positions.

○ Right-click or long finger-press to resize a tile.

10) From the Start Screen, if you have a touchscreen, swipe from the right
edge to view Notifications. Otherwise, click Notifications on the taskbar.

11) Click Tablet mode to switch back to desktop mode.

12) Click the Tips window icon on the taskbar.

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Module 1 / Unit 2 13) Click the Close button on the top-right corner of the window to exit the app.

14) Click Start, click Settings and then click Personalization. You can make
any changes you want to the pictures and colors used on the desktop.

15) Close the Settings app when you have finished.

Exercise 2 / Exploring the Desktop and Taskbar

In this exercise, you will explore the features of the desktop and taskbar.

1) Press the START key to switch to the Start Screen.

2) Open the Photos tile. If prompted to add a Microsoft account, click the
Close button to cancel the dialog.

Photos is an example of a Microsoft Store app. In Windows 10 (1709 and

later), all apps, even those downloaded from the Microsoft Store display in
a window on the desktop.

3) Click Start and then type paint, then click the icon that appears in the
search results. This loads the Paint application. This is an example of a
desktop application.

4) In Paint, create a picture; perhaps of a boat sailing on the sea.

5) When you have created a picture, click the File menu on the ribbon once.
Move the mouse down the menu to point to the Save command and click
once.

6) Enter a file name of The Sea, double-click the Pictures folder, and then
click the Save button.

7) Press the keys START+E together (hold down START and press E then
release both at the same time). This should open a File Explorer window.

Note the file you created is listed under "Recent files."

8) Double-click the Pictures folder to view the file where you saved it.

There are various ways to switch between windows when you have more
than one open. We’ll take a look at each of these methods.

9) Look at the taskbar—you should see underlined icons for the three
windows you have open. Note the difference between open windows and
icons that have been "pinned" to the taskbar but that aren't currently
running. Also, the active (currently selected) window is shown with a
highlight.

10) Click the icons to switch between the windows. Right-click the icons to
observe their shortcut menus (do not select anything from the menus
though).

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 11) Try using the ALT+TAB keyboard shortcut. Hold down the ALT key then Using a Workstation
press-and-release TAB. This shows a list of open desktop windows and
Start Screen apps. Still holding ALT, press TAB again and keep pressing it
to cycle through the icons until you have found one you want to look at.
Release the ALT key to open the selected app or window.

Using Alt+Tab to switch between windows. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Finally, you can use Task View to switch between windows.

12) Press START+TAB or click the taskbar icon to open Task View.
Alternatively, if you have a touchscreen, you can swipe from the left edge.

Task View shows previews of all open windows, whether they are
minimized or not. You can also use Task View to configure multiple
desktops, but we won't explore that feature here. In Windows 10 (1803),
you'll also see a timeline of previously used apps. You can choose to sync
this with other devices, via a Microsoft account.

13) Click the Photos app to select it.

14) Press START+D or click the empty space on the taskbar to the right of the
date and time to minimize all windows. You can also use START+D to
return to the desktop from the Start Screen quickly.

15) Press START+D to show all the windows again then practice using the
window control icons to maximize, restore, and minimize them.

16) Practice arranging windows on the desktop:

○ Using its title bar, drag the File Explorer window to the left edge. Select
the Paint window to display alongside it.

○ Drag the Paint window out of its current position and then to the top of
the screen to maximize it.

○ Drag the Paint window back to the middle of the screen to restore the
window size then use the window borders to resize it manually.

○ Drag the title bar on the Paint window then shake the window to
minimize all other windows. Shake again to restore them. Page 37
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Module 1 / Unit 2 17) Close all the open windows using either the button or by pressing ALT+F4.
You can close minimized windows from the taskbar by right-clicking and
selecting Close window.

18) Point to each of the icons in the Notification Area in turn. A ScreenTip will
be displayed to identify each one.

19) Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. This
opens a dialog to configure the taskbar.

20) Browse the options on the Taskbar tab.

21) Click the Start tab.

Start settings. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

22) Browse the options.

When you have finished using the computer, you should shut it down.

23) Open the Start Screen, click the Power icon in the bottom-left. Select
Shut down from the submenu.

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 Module 1 / Unit 3 Using an OS

Using an OS

Objectives
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

□ Distinguish between different types of operating systems designed for

workstations, servers, mobiles, embedded systems, and virtualization.

□ Identify commonly used commercial and open source operating systems,

such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Chrome, and Android.

□ Use a browser to view websites.

Syllabus Objectives and Content Examples

This unit covers the following exam domain objectives and content examples:

□ 3.1 Explain the purpose of operating systems.

Interface between applications and hardware • Types of OS (Mobile device
OS, Workstation OS, Server OS, Embedded OS, Firmware, Hypervisor
[Type 1])

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Module 1 / Unit 3
Functions of an Operating System

A computer requires an Operating System (OS) in order to function. The

operating system provides interfaces between the hardware, application
programs, and the user. The OS handles many of the basic system functions,
such as interaction with the system hardware and input/output.

Interface Between User and Computer

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. The earliest
operating systems for PCs, such as Microsoft's Disk Operating System (DOS),
used a command-line interface or simple menu systems. Windows and later
applications were marked by the use of a Graphical User Interface (GUI).
This helped to make computers easier to use by non-technical staff and home
users.

Actually, some DOS applications presented a GUI (of a kind).

Windows is sometimes described as a WIMP (Window, Icon,
Menu, Pointing device) interface.

Consequently, an OS may have more than one shell. For example, it might
have a graphical shell, allowing users to select commands via icons and
menus, and it might have a command line shell, allowing the user to access
functions by typing commands.

A shell will allow the user to configure the computer hardware, install and
manage software applications, and access programs and files.

Interface Between Applications and Hardware

Another function of an OS is to "drive" the computer hardware. OS software is
built from a kernel of core functions with additional driver software and system
utility applications. Each hardware component requires a driver to work. The
OS is responsible for identifying the components installed on the PC and
loading drivers to enable the user to configure and use them.

One fundamental difference between computer systems is the "size" of the

instructions that the Central Processing Unit (CPU) can process. Through the
1990s and early 2000s, most computers and software were based around
processing 32-bit instructions. 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.

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. A computer with a 32-bit CPU cannot run 64-bit OS or
applications software at all.

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 An OS provides a common environment within which different software Using an OS
applications can run. Application software is the programs that allow users to
perform different tasks, such as web browsing, email, and word processing.
With an OS, application software developers do not need to worry about
writing routines to access the hard disk or send a document to a printer; they
simply "call" functions of the OS that allow them to do these things.

This allows application software designers to concentrate on application

functions and makes the computer more reliable. One consequence of this is
that there are relatively few operating systems, as it takes a lot of work to
produce software applications that will work with different systems. Application
vendors have to decide which operating systems they will support.

Changes to an operating system have to be made very carefully in order to

remain compatible with previous generations of software and hardware.
Eventually though, the OS may change so much that legacy software will no
longer work.

System Health and Functionality

As mentioned above, an OS comes with a kernel and driver files that provide
the core functionality of interacting with the hardware. Operating systems also
ship with additional utility software that allows the user to configure and
monitor the computer. One class of utility software is that which allows the user
to monitor system health and performance.

An OS might provide logs to record system events or trigger alerts.

Performance monitoring tools would allow the user to find out if a component is
"overworked" and might require upgrading or if a software application or driver
is faulty.

Data Management
Another class of utility software provides an interface between the user and the
storage devices and mechanisms available to the computer. In a computer,
information is stored as files. There are many different types of files. The OS
and software applications are made up of executable and configuration files.
Users can also create data files in different formats using different software
applications.

Files must be saved to some sort of persistent storage, such as a hard disk.
To organize files on a storage device, the OS creates a directory (or folder)
structure. Files are saved to the storage device within a particular directory.

Operating systems may also provide tools for the user to manage directories,
allowing them to create directories and move or copy files between them.

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Module 1 / Unit 3
Types of Operating System

While they share the same basic functions, there are many different types of
operating systems. These support different commercial models and types of
devices.

Workstation, Server, and Mobile Device OS

A workstation OS is one that runs a traditional desktop PC or laptop.
Examples include Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X/macOS, Linux, and Chrome
OS. The market for workstation operating systems is divided into three main
sections:

■ Enterprise client—designed to work as a client in business networks.

■ 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.

A mobile device OS is one designed for handheld devices, such as

smartphones and tablets. The principal mobile operating systems are Apple
iOS and Android.

A workstation OS can normally be uninstalled and replaced with a different

kind of OS. For example, you could remove Microsoft Windows from a PC and
install Linux instead. This is not typically possible with a mobile device OS. A
smartphone or tablet can only run the OS it was designed for.

A server OS, such as Windows Server, Linux, or UNIX, is often based on

similar code to its workstation OS equivalent. For example, Windows 10 and
Windows Server 2016 are very similar in terms of the OS kernel. 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.

Open Source versus Commercial

A commercial OS means that the user must purchase a license to install and
use the OS software on a particular device. The programming code used to
design the operating system is kept a secret by the developer. Microsoft
Windows, Apple macOS, and Apple iOS are examples of commercial operating
systems.

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 Open source means that the programming code used to design the software Using an OS
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. Some software vendors are
reluctant to make their source code available to third parties fearing piracy,
infringement of copyright, and loss of market position. This means that users of
these systems must wait for the vendor to make the modifications they need, if
they make them at all. The open source model claims to make improvements
to software available more quickly and cost-effectively.

UNIX, Linux, and Android are examples of open source operating systems.

Embedded OS
With a workstation, laptop, or server, you can delete the operating system and
install a different one. These are general purpose types of computer systems
capable of running software to perform a variety of different tasks. An
embedded system by contrast is a computer or appliance designed for a very
specific function. These systems can be as contained as a microcontroller in
an intravenous drip-rate meter or as large and complex as an industrial control
system managing a water treatment plant.

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. These devices do
have more scope for modification than the more industrial
embedded systems though. You can install apps and games, add
peripheral devices, and configure network connectivity for instance.

Embedded systems are typically static environments. 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 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. The kernels or operating systems
that run these devices must be much more stable and reliable than the OS that
runs a desktop computer or server. Embedded systems typically cannot
tolerate reboots or crashes and must have response times that are predictable
to within microsecond tolerances. Consequently, these systems often use
differently engineered platforms called Real Time Operating Systems
(RTOS).

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Module 1 / Unit 3 Firmware
In an embedded system, the embedded OS acts as firmware. It provides all
the functions for interacting with the device hardware. The term "firmware" is
used because unlike regular software, the firmware is not designed to be
continually changed. Firmware can support updates, but such updates or
configuration changes are supposed to be infrequent.

Workstations, laptops, and servers also use a type of firmware. Such PC

firmware provides a low-level interface to allow the OS to load and take control
of the PC's components. There are two types of PC firmware:

■ The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) 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.

■ Newer motherboards may use a different kind of firmware called Unified

Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). 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.

Additionally, some of the PC system components, notably graphics adapters,

storage devices, and network controllers, will have their own firmware. Most
peripheral devices also contain firmware. Lastly, network devices, such as
Internet routers and wireless access points, also run from firmware.

Virtualization

For most of the history of the microcomputer, a single computer has been able
to run a single operating system at any one time. This makes multiple
applications available on that computer (whether it be a workstation or server),
but the applications must all share a common environment. Virtualization
means that multiple operating systems can be installed and run simultaneously
on a single computer.

A virtual platform requires at least three components:

■ Computer(s)—the physical machine (or host) that provides the resources,

such as CPU and memory, for the virtual environment.

■ 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:

● A Type I (or "bare metal") hypervisor is installed directly on the

computer and interacts directly with its hardware.

● A 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.
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 ■ Guest operating systems (or Virtual Machines [VM])—operating systems Using an OS
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.

The presence of other guest operating systems can be completely transparent

to any single OS. Each OS "thinks" it is working with a normal CPU, memory,
hard disk, and network link. The guest operating systems can be networked
together or they may be able to share data directly through the hypervisor
(though this is not commonly done for security reasons).

Virtualization is used on network servers to utilize the hardware more

efficiently. Virtualization software can also be used on desktop computers for
various purposes. Some typical uses of desktop virtualization are:

■ 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.

■ 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.

■ Development environment—test software applications under different

operating systems and resource constraints.

■ 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.

Windows 10 Professional and Enterprise editions are bundled with virtualization

software (Hyper-V). Third-party products include VMware and VirtualBox.

The hypervisor determines the resources allocated to a virtual machine. Screenshot used with
permission from Microsoft.
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Module 1 / Unit 3
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is the dominant commercial workstation OS, estimated to

be installed on 90% of the world's desktop and laptop computers. The
Windows Server OS is also widely used on PC servers.

Like most software, Windows and Windows Server have been released in a
number of versions over the years. Historically, a new version would have to
be purchased, though upgrade discounts are usually available. A new version
may introduce significant changes in the look of Windows and add new
features and support for new types of hardware. On the downside, a new
version may not be compatible with hardware and software applications
designed for earlier versions.

Windows 10
Windows 10, first released in 2015, is the current version. In fact, Microsoft
indicated that they would no longer release new versions of Windows, but
would instead maintain Windows 10 with feature updates on a periodic basis.
Thus, the current version of Windows (at the time of writing) is still Windows
10. This approach is known as “Windows as a service” and promises continued
updates to the operating system.

Windows 10 (1803) desktop. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Feature updates for Windows 10 are identified with a name and number. For
example, in July 2016, Microsoft released a Windows 10 feature update called
Windows 10 Anniversary Update. This release was identified with a number:
1607. This number corresponds to the year and month of release. Therefore,
the full name of the current version of Windows 10 at the time of writing (June
2018) is Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (1803), replacing the Fall
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 In addition to feature updates, Windows is updated periodically with quality Using an OS
updates. Quality updates do not usually make radical changes to Windows,
though some do include new features. Quality updates might sometimes cause
compatibility problems with some hardware devices and software applications,
but this is less likely than with feature updates.

Windows 10 aims to provide a consistent user experience across different

types of devices, including desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Older Windows Versions

Windows 10 is the successor to Windows 8 (2012) and Windows 8.1 (2013).
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 imposed significant user interface changes to
provide better support for touchscreens, but not all of these changes were
popular with users familiar with Windows 7. Windows 10 addressed this
feedback and was also made available as a free upgrade to Windows 8.
Consequently, Windows 10 very quickly replaced Windows 8 and Windows 8 is
not that widely used, having about 7% market share at the time of writing.

Windows 8 was swiftly updated to Windows 8.1 to address some

issues with the interface. Any reference to Windows 8 in this
course can be taken to mean Windows 8.1. There was never a
Windows 9.

Prior to Windows 8 there were Windows 7 (2009), Windows Vista (2007),

and Windows XP (2001). Windows 7 is still widely used, with an estimated
installation base of around 45% of all PCs. Despite no longer being officially
supported by Microsoft, Windows XP is still installed on about 5% of devices.
Windows Vista never achieved a significant market share.

Windows 7 desktop. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

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Module 1 / Unit 3 Windows Editions
Each version of Windows is available in different editions. Editions are used
by Microsoft to create different markets for Windows. Windows 7 editions
included Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.
Windows 10 is available in the following editions:

■ 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.

■ Windows 10 Enterprise/Windows 10 Enterprise (Long Term Servicing

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

■ Windows 10 Education/Pro Education—variants of the Enterprise and Pro

editions designed for licensing by schools and colleges.

64-bit Windows
Each version and edition of Windows is available as 32-bit or 64-bit (x64)
software. 64-bit editions of Windows can run most 32-bit applications software,
though there may be some exceptions (you should check with the software
vendor). The reverse is not true however; a 32-bit version of Windows cannot
run 64-bit applications software.

64-bit editions of Windows also require 64-bit hardware device drivers

authorized ("signed") by Microsoft. If the vendor has not produced a 64-bit
driver, the hardware device will not be usable.

Windows 10 Mobile
Microsoft has developed versions of Windows for mobile devices, including
Windows CE, Windows Phone 7, and Windows Phone 8. None of these have
enjoyed the same sort of success as Windows has in the PC market.

With Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft has adopted a consistent user interface

and code base across all types of device. Windows 10 Mobile has a very small
smartphone market share compared to Android and iOS. Microsoft develops
and sells Windows 10 Mobile smartphones and Surface tablets.

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 Apple macOS and iOS Using an OS

In 1984, when the IBM PC was the dominant desktop standard, Steve Jobs
and Steve Wozniak created a new type of personal computer—the Apple
Macintosh (or Mac). It was revolutionary because it came with a graphical user
interface at a time when IBM's PC used the command-line DOS operating
system. The Mac has never matched Windows' huge user base, although its
current incarnation does have a truly devoted following.

Apple Mac OS/OS X/macOS

The main difference between Mac OS and other operating systems is that the
OS is only supplied with Apple-built computers. You cannot purchase Mac OS
and install it on an ordinary PC. This helps to make Mac OS stable but does
mean that there is far less choice in terms of buying extra hardware.

macOS desktop.

The current lines—OS X and more recently macOS—were re-developed from

the kernel of another type of operating system called UNIX. This kernel is
supplemented with additional code to implement the Mac's graphical interface
and system utilities and to maintain compatibility with older Mac OS
applications. macOS gets periodic "dot" version updates. At the time of writing,
the current version is 10.13 or "High Sierra" and updates are being released to
existing customers free-of-charge.

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Module 1 / Unit 3 Apple iOS
iOS is the operating system for Apple's iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet.
New versions are released approximately every year with various .x updates.
Version 11 is current at time of writing with version 12 due for release shortly.
Apple makes new versions freely available, though older hardware devices
may not support all the features of a new version, or may not be supported at
all. While also derived from UNIX (through macOS), iOS is a closed source
operating system. This means that the code used to design the software is
kept confidential and can only be modified by Apple.

The popularity of iOS is primarily because it is so easy to navigate. Apart from

volume and power, the only external button is the Home key, which returns the
user to the Home Screen "Desktop."

iOS 11 running on an iPhone 7.

The interface is then entirely controlled via touch. Point to icons to open apps,
swipe or flick from left-to-right to access the keyboard and search, or flick right-
to-left to view more icons. Re-arrange icons by tapping and holding for a few
seconds. The icons will then "wobble" and can be dragged to a different page
Page 50 or into the dock taskbar at the bottom. Press the Home key to save.
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 To view and manage open apps, double-click the Home key to open the Using an OS
Multitasking bar.

Touch can be operated either with your fingers or with a special soft-touch
stylus. There are many more gestures in addition to those listed above. For
example, shaking the device is often used to activate undo. There are also
external keyboards available and most Apple devices support Siri, a voice
recognition system and personal assistant.

Linux, Chrome, and Android

Originally developed by Linus Torvalds, Linux is based on the UNIX operating

system. UNIX was developed over 30 years by various commercial, academic,
and not-for-profit organizations. This resulted in several versions, not all of
which are compatible, and many of which are proprietary or contain
copyrighted or patented code or features. Linux was developed as a fully open
source alternative to UNIX (and for that matter, to Windows and macOS and
iOS).

Ubuntu Linux.

Linux can be used as a desktop or server OS. There are many distributions
or distros, notably SUSE, Red Hat, Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu, and Mint. Each
distro adds specific packages and interfaces to the generic Linux Kernel and
provides different support options. Linux does not require a graphical interface,
though most distributions provide one.

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Module 1 / Unit 3 IBM, Sun/Oracle, and Novell are among the vendors producing end-user
applications for Linux. As a desktop OS it tends to be used in schools and
universities more than in business or in the home. As a server OS, it is very
widely deployed on web servers.

Chrome OS
Chrome OS is 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.

Chrome OS was primarily developed to use web applications. In a web

application, the software is hosted on a server on the Internet and the client
connects to it using a browser. The client computer does not need to be
particularly powerful as the server does most of the processing. Chrome OS
provides a minimal environment compared to Windows. This means that there
is less chance of some other software application or hardware device driver
interfering with the function of the browser.

There are also "packaged" apps available for use offline and Chrome OS can
run apps developed for Android.

Android
Android is a smartphone/tablet OS
developed by the Open Handset
Alliance, primarily driven by Google.
Unlike iOS it is an open-source OS,
based on Linux. The software code
is made publicly available
(source.android.com). This means
that there is more scope for
hardware vendors, such as Acer,
Asus, HTC, Huawei, LG, Motorola,
OnePlus, Oppo, Samsung, Sony,
and Xiamoi to produce vendor-
specific versions.

Like iOS, Android is updated with

new major (1.x) and minor (x.1)
versions, each of which is named
after some kind of sweet stuff. At the
time of writing, current versions
include 7.1 (Nougat) and 8.1 (Oreo).
Because handset vendors produce
their own editions of Android, device
Android lollipop home screen. compatibility for new versions is
more mixed compared with iOS.

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 File Explorer Using an OS

Once you have learned how to use icons and windows, another crucial step in
learning to use an operating system is being able to navigate around the file
system.

File Explorer/Windows Explorer

File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer and often just called
"Explorer") is the file management interface for Microsoft Windows. You use it
to view, create, rename, and delete folders and files on local disks, removable
drives, and the network.

You can open an Explorer window by selecting its taskbar icon . You
can also right-click any folder object and select Explore or you can press
START+E.

File Explorer in Windows 10. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

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Module 1 / Unit 3 This PC

The This PC represents the local PC. When you open This PC, you
get an Explorer window showing the local, removable, and network drives
available to the PC.

The This PC object also allows you to change configuration settings by right-
clicking it and selecting Properties (to access System properties) or Manage
(to access the default Computer Management console).

In previous versions, the "ThIs PC" object is called "Computer" or

"My Computer".

Network

The Network object is a container for any network servers that the
computer is connected to. A server is a computer that can make folders or
printers available to other computers.

Sharing files is discussed in Unit 4.4.

The Properties shortcut menu option for Network opens the Network and
Sharing Center, which you can use to view the status of network links and
configure options for sharing folders.

Browsing the network using File Explorer—you can see other computers plus a networked
printer/scanner and a router (network infrastructure). Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

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 Windows Settings and Control Panel Using an OS

As well as navigating the file system, you should also understand the tools
used to configure settings and features in an operating system.

Windows Settings
Windows Settings is a touchscreen-enabled "app" interface for managing the
computer. Most of the standard Windows 10 configuration settings can be
located within Windows Settings but not all of them.

Windows Settings app. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

In earlier versions, this app is referred to as the "PC Settings" app.

Control Panel

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. Control Panel is the default interface in Windows XP and Windows 7.
In Windows 10, as noted above, a number of settings are now changed via
Windows Settings, but Control Panel still hosts some of the configuration
options. Each Windows 10 feature update tends to move more configuration
options from Control Panel to Windows Settings. Page 55
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Module 1 / Unit 3

Control Panel in Windows 10 version 1803 showing 1) Navigation breadcrumb; 2) Task groups; 3)
Configuration applets; 4) Search box; 5) View options. Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

In Control Panel, the default view displays a task-based list of the most
commonly-used Control Panel options. You can also display all Control Panel
applets by clicking the arrow in the navigation breadcrumb, changing the View
by option, or by using the Search box to find a particular item.

Ease of Access Options

Ease of Access settings help people with a physical impairment to use the
computer effectively. Some of the main options that can be configured are:

■ Touchscreen—allows the use of touch to control the desktop, rather than a

keyboard or pointing device. This requires a touch-enabled display device.

■ Voice control and narration—use voice commands to operate the desktop

and speech to input text and get audio narration describing available
features in application windows and text in documents.

■ Visual alternatives for sounds—replace alert and notifications with text

alerts or visual effects.

■ On-screen keyboard—use a virtual keyboard, operated by touch or using a

pointing device.

■ Magnifier—zoom in to a particular feature.

■ Display settings—make the display more readable by using larger font

sizes or a high contrast color scheme.

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 Using an OS

Use the Ease of Access Center in Windows to set up accessibility options. Screenshot used with
permission from Microsoft.

Advanced Management Utilities

There are other utilities for
configuring more advanced or
technical aspects of the way
Windows work. Pressing
START+X or right-clicking the
Start button 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.

Windows 10 START+X menu (right-click the Start

button). Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.
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Module 1 / Unit 3
Using a Web Browser

One of the most important reasons for owning a computer is to be able to

access the Internet. We will look more closely at how to connect to the Internet
later in the course, but at this point it is important that you understand how to
browse web pages. Websites are hosted on web servers and are viewed
using a browser.

Two browsers are shipped with Windows 10: Microsoft Edge and Internet
Explorer. Generally, it is recommended that you use Microsoft Edge; this
provides a consistent browser experience across devices because Microsoft
provides Microsoft Edge for other platforms, including Android and iOS.
Internet Explorer is provided for backwards compatibility for certain website
functions important for users in large, enterprise networks.

You can also install and use a third-party browser. Mozilla Firefox
(www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) and Google Chrome
(www.google.com/chrome/) are popular, but there are many others.
Apple iOS and macOS ship with the Safari browser.

Opening a Web Page

To open a page, you just open the browser icon located on the taskbar
then enter the page's address into the address bar. You can open several
pages at the same time by clicking the tab icon. Alternatively, press CTRL+T to
open a new tab. You can press CTRL+TAB to cycle through open tabs.

Edge browser window showing 1) Navigation buttons and address bar; 2) Tabs; 3) Site navigation
menu. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.
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 URLs, Websites, and Hyperlinks Using an OS

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.

You do not need to type the http:// part of the URL, but when
the page opens, the full URL is shown in the address bar. A web
browser will always interpret the http:// bit for you. In fact, you can
often leave off "www" as well. For example, entering
comptia.org would get you to the same place as
www.comptia.org.

A website is a collection of web

pages published by a particular
organization.

A website features hyperlinks to

allow you to navigate between the
pages without having to know the
specific address of each page.
Often these hyperlinks are
organized as navigation bars.

Shortcut menu for a hyperlink. Screenshot

used with permission from Microsoft.

A hyperlink appears either as text or as a picture. When you point the cursor at
a hyperlink, it appears as a pointing finger .

When you open a link, it may open in the same tab, in a different tab, or in a
new browser window. The web designer sets the default action, but you can
choose how to open any link by right-clicking it then selecting from the shortcut
menu.

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Module 1 / Unit 3 Using Browser Controls
A web browser has a number of tools to help you visit pages you have been to
previously.

■ Back (BACKSPACE)—visit the page you just left. If you click the arrow
on the button, you can select from a list of pages you have visited before.

■ Forward (ALT+RIGHT ARROW)—this can be used after using the

Back button to return to the page you left. Again, you can click the arrow to
skip ahead by a number of pages.

■ Stop (ESC)—halt the download of a page. You may want to do this if

you have a slow Internet connection and the page is taking a long time.

■ Refresh (F5)—start the page downloading again. This also displays

the latest version of a page.

A browser stores pages you have visited in its cache and uses the
cached pages to save time. If you suspect a page is out of date,
use Refresh to update it. If it still seems out-of-date, press
CTRL+F5. This forces the browser to ignore the cached files.

■ Address bar—if you click the arrow on the address bar, you can select
from the AutoComplete list of sites you have entered previously.

AutoComplete only remembers addresses you have typed into the

address bar. Also, when you type an address, the list is displayed
automatically, and you can select a link from it if you wish. You can
view any pages you have visited before by opening History
(CTRL+SHIFT+H).

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 Setting the Home Page Using an OS

The home page of a website is the default page that opens when you enter the
site's simplest URL: comptia.com or microsoft.com for example. It acts like a
front door for the site. Your home page is the page that Microsoft Edge
displays when it is started. You can choose any address you like for your home
page (or choose more than one home page and open multiple tabs by default
when the browser starts).

Setting the home page through the Settings menu. Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

To set the home page, click the ellipse button and select Settings.
From the Open Microsoft Edge with list box, select A specific page or
pages. In the "Enter a URL" box, type the URL to your homepage, and then
click Save.

Open your home page by clicking the Home button (or press ALT+HOME).

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Module 1 / Unit 3

Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 3 / Using an OS

Answer these questions to test what you have learned in this unit.

1) What function of an operating system is performed by the "shell?"

2) What type of file in an OS is the main means of providing coordination of

hardware components?

3) What is an example of an open source operating system?

4) What type of computing device(s) is macOS designed for installation on?

5) True or false? Windows 10 is the first 64-bit edition of Windows.

6) You have to open a file located on a network server. What should be your
first step?

7) What is the technical term for a web address?

8) What key combination can you use to force the browser to ignore any
locally cached files when refreshing a page?

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 Using an OS

Lab 3 / Browsing a Website

In this lab, you will practice using some of the features of the web browser
Microsoft Edge.

If you do not have an Internet connection set up already, you may

want to refer to Unit 3.1.

Windows 10 provides two web browsers: Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Internet
Explorer.

1) Start the computer and sign in. Then, if necessary, show the desktop
(START+D).

2) Click the Microsoft Edge icon on the taskbar to start the browser.

3) Your browser home page is loaded. Navigate to comptia.org by typing in

the address bar and pressing ENTER.

Notice that when you open the page the full URL
https://www.comptia.org/ is displayed in the address bar.

4) Spend a couple of minutes browsing the site. Try all of the following:

○ Using the scroll bar or mouse scroll wheel to view a page.

○ Following text and picture hyperlinks to other pages within the same
site.

○ Using the Back button or BACKSPACE to return to a previous page.

○ Following hyperlinks to pages on other sites.

5) Point to the new tab icon and click it. This opens a new tab. Tabbed
browsing makes it easier to view multiple pages at the same time. In the
address bar, type msn.com and press ENTER.

6) Click the Hub button . This displays a number of options:

○ Favorites —a list of web pages that you have bookmarked. You

can bookmark a page by visiting it then clicking the Add To icon in the
address bar.

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Module 1 / Unit 3

○ Reading list —adding a page to the reading list rather than

favorites saves a copy of the page to your device, meaning that you
can view it later, even if you not connected to the Internet.

○ History —a browser keeps a record of the pages you have

visited, unless you choose to browse in "private" mode.

○ Downloads —some web pages include files that you can

download, such as documents or apps. The downloads icon lets you
see which files you have chosen to save to your computer.

7) Click History and then click comptia.org.

8) Close the comptia tab.

9) Click the More Actions ellipse icon and then click Settings.

10) Click View advanced settings. You can configure a number of options
and control the way Microsoft Edge handles new tabs and website
browsing and security options.

11) Close Microsoft Edge and when prompted, click Close all.

12) Click Start, scroll down and click Windows Accessories.

13) Right-click Internet Explorer, point to More, and then click Pin to taskbar.

14) On the taskbar, click the Internet Explorer icon.

15) Click the Tools icon and then click Internet Options.

16) In the Internet Options dialog box, click through the available tabs
(General, Security, Privacy, Content, Connections, Programs, and
Advanced). View the available options and then click Cancel.

17) To configure a preferred browser, click Start and then click Settings.

18) Click Apps, and then, on the Default apps tab, under the Web browser
heading, click and select Internet Explorer. If prompted, click Switch
anyway.

19) To default to Microsoft Edge, under Web browser, click and select
Microsoft Edge. Close Settings.

20) Optionally, shut down your computer if you are not continuing to use it after
this lab.

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 Module 1 / Unit 4 Managing an OS

Managing an OS

Objectives
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

□ Use GUI and command-line management interfaces to configure an

operating system.

□ Explain the importance of access control features and configure user

accounts.

Syllabus Objectives and Content Examples

This unit covers the following exam domain objectives and content examples:

□ 3.1 Manage applications and software.

Disk management • Process management/scheduling (Kill process/end
task) • Memory management • Access control/protection

□ 3.2 Compare and contrast components of an operating system.

Services • Processes • Utilities (Task scheduling) • Interfaces
(Console/command line, GUI)

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Module 1 / Unit 4
Management Interfaces

A management interface is a graphical or command-line tool used to perform

some aspect of system configuration. A number of administrative tools are
used to manage Windows:

■ 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.

■ Management Consoles—these represent more technical system

configuration options. The default Computer Management console
contains a number of different administrative snap-ins. Each snap-in
configures the settings for a different OS sub-system, such as disk
management or user management. There are various other consoles, and
you can also create custom ones with mmc.exe.

The default Computer Management console with the configuration snap-ins shown on the left.
Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Registry Editor—most configuration changes are stored as values in the Registry database.
Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

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 ■ Registry Editor (regedit)—when you change a setting via a management Managing an OS
interface, you are usually changing something stored in the Windows
Registry configuration database. The Registry Editor is a means of directly
editing this database.

■ Command prompt/PowerShell—settings can also be changed by typing

native Windows commands or the PowerShell scripting language.

In Windows 10, the most useful system administration tools can be

accessed by right-clicking the Start button or by pressing
START+X.

We will not go into detail in this course, but in Linux all configuration is
performed by modifying text files. This can be done directly in a text editor,
such as vi or nano, but many Linux distributions include graphical tools and
system commands to assist with the process of making the underlying
changes.

Process and Service Management

When a program starts (either because it has been scheduled to do so by the

OS or opened by a user), the application code executes in memory as a
process.

A process is the main unit governing a program and managing the

memory resources allocated to it by the OS. A process may contain
one or more threads, which are parts of the program scheduled for
execution by the CPU.

Task Manager
The Task Manager utility (taskmgr) allows the user to shut down processes
that are not responding. An ordinary user can end unresponsive applications,
but administrative rights are required to end processes that were started by the
system rather than the signed in user. This protects the system as things like
malware cannot disable anti-virus software. In addition to this functionality,
Task Manager can be used to monitor the PC's key resources.

There are various ways to run Task Manager, including pressing

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC, right-clicking the taskbar, or right-clicking the Start button
(START+X).

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Module 1 / Unit 4

Using Task Manger to end a process. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Terminating a process like this (rather than using the application's

Close or Exit function) is often called "killing" the process. The
command line option for doing this in Windows is indeed called
taskkill. Always try to close or end a task normally before
attempting to "kill" it.

Service Management
A service is a Windows process that does not require any sort of user
interaction and thus runs in the background (without a window). Services
provide functionality for many parts of the Windows OS, such as allowing sign
in, browsing the network, or indexing file details to optimize searches. Services
may be installed by Windows and by other applications, such as anti-virus,
database, or backup software.

You can use the Services snap-in to check which services are running and to
start and stop each service or configure its properties, such as whether it starts
automatically at system boot time.

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 Managing an OS

Managing services using the Computer Management console. Screenshot used with permission
from Microsoft.

Task Scheduler
As noted above, a process (whether it is interactive or a background service)
can be started either manually by the user or automatically by the operating
system. In Windows, Task Scheduler, as its name suggests, 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.

Many of Windows' processes come with predefined task schedules (Disk

Defragmenter, for instance, is configured to run automatically by default).

Task Scheduler. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

In Linux, the cron utility is often used to run tasks or scripts at a

particular time.
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Module 1 / Unit 4
Memory and Disk Management

As the CPU only has a limited amount of storage space in which to store
instructions, it has to work with other storage components. The two main types
of these are system memory and mass storage (or fixed disk storage).

■ 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.

■ 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).

Memory Management
When a process executes, it takes up space in system memory. If the system
runs out of memory, then processes will be unable to start, and running
processes may crash because they cannot load the data they need.

Using Task Manager to check system memory usage. Screenshot used with permission from
Microsoft.

There is not a lot to configure in terms of memory management. The OS will do

the best job it can with the resources available; if there is not enough memory
the only real solution is to install more or run fewer programs simultaneously.
Badly written programs and malware can cause a memory leak, where the
process keeps claiming memory addresses without releasing them. If the
system keeps running out of memory, you would use Task Manager or another
monitoring program to find the offending process and disable it from running.

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 Managing an OS

Using Task Manager to check how much memory a process is using. In this example each
browser (Firefox) tab has its own memory space—you can see that some web pages use more
memory than others! Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Virtual Memory/Pagefile
There are situations where the OS loads more data than can fit within the
amount of system memory modules installed. The OS can use the fixed disk to
supplement RAM by paging it to the disk. This is called a pagefile or virtual
memory. The pagefile is usually user configurable (in Windows via the
Advanced system settings link in the System control panel applet), but in
most circumstances you would leave the OS to manage it.

Viewing virtual memory (or pagefile) settings via the System applet. The PC has 6 GB of system
RAM and Windows has automatically allocated the same amount of space to the pagefile.
Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.
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Module 1 / Unit 4

A traditional hard drive is much, much slower than system RAM

and is often a performance bottleneck. Using an SSD as the main
fixed disk will greatly improve performance.

Disk Management
Windows provides a GUI Disk Management tool to format mass storage
devices (disks and USB drives) and manage partitions. 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. A disk must have at least one
partition for the OS to use it. Also, each partition must be formatted with a file
system so that the OS can read and write files to the drive.

Storage and file systems are covered in more detail in Unit 3,4.

Disk Management is one of the snap-ins included with the default Computer
Management console, or you can open the tool directly from the START+X
menu (or run diskmgr.msc).

Disk Management utility. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

The Disk Management snap-in displays a summary of any fixed and removable
drives attached to the system. The top pane lists drives; the bottom pane lists
disks, showing information about the partitions created on each disk plus any
unpartitioned space. You can use the tool to create and modify partitions,
reformat a partition, assign a different drive letter, and so on.

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 Managing an OS

Reformatting or deleting a partition deletes any data stored on

it. Always back up data before using Disk Management.

Command Line Interfaces

As you have seen, most operating systems can be operated using a Graphical
User Interface (GUI) controlled via a mouse, keyboard, and/or touchscreen,
but a GUI is only one type of interface or shell. A Command Line Interface
(CLI) shell represents an alternative means of configuring an OS or
application. Some operating systems only present a CLI and have no GUI. A
CLI displays a prompt, showing that it is ready to accept a command. When
you type the command plus any switches and press ENTER, the shell executes
the command, displays any output associated with the execution, and then
returns to the prompt.

The term "console" is often used interchangeably with "command

line" or "command prompt" but has different technical meanings in
Windows and UNIX/Linux.

Windows command prompt (cmd.exe). Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Note that there may be more than one CLI environment included with an
operating system. For example, Windows provides both the Windows
Command Prompt (cmd.exe) and PowerShell CLIs. Linux usually presents the
Bash (Bourne Again SHell) but there are alternatives.

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Module 1 / Unit 4

Windows PowerShell command prompt. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Access Control and Protection

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.

Administrator and Standard User Accounts

When the OS is first installed, the account created or used during setup is a
powerful local administrator account. The account is assigned membership of
the local Administrators group. Generally speaking, you should only use this
account to manage the computer (install applications and devices, perform
troubleshooting, and so on).

You should create ordinary user accounts for day-to-day access to the
computer. This is done by putting additional users of the computer in the
Standard users group. Standard users cannot change the system
configuration and are restricted to saving data files within their own user profile
folder or the Public profile. For example, a user named David could only save
files within C:\Users\David or C:\Users\Public. Administrators can access any
folder on the computer.

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 Least Privilege and User Account Control Managing an OS

The principle of least privilege is that users should have only sufficient
permissions required to perform tasks and no more.

User Account Control (UAC) is 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. Early
versions of Windows make dealing with typical administrative tasks as an
ordinary user very difficult, meaning that most users were given administrative
privileges as a matter of course. This makes the OS more usable, but it also
makes it much more vulnerable, as any malicious software infecting the
computer would run with the same administrative privileges.

UAC counters this by running accounts in a protected sandbox. When users

need to exercise administrative rights, they must explicitly confirm use of those
rights by entering the administrator's credentials or by clicking through an
authorization dialog. The desktop darkens into a special secure mode to
prevent third-party software from imitating the authorization dialog.

UAC requiring confirmation of the use of administrator privileges. Screenshot used with permission
from Microsoft.

Note that options in Control Panel and menus and dialogs with the icon on
or next to them may require you to authorize use of the command through
UAC.

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Module 1 / Unit 4 Creating Other User Accounts
Windows supports two types of user accounts:

■ Local accounts—these are defined on one computer only.

■ 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.

To create a new account, open Settings then click Accounts. Select Family &
other people then click Add someone else to this PC.

Creating a new account. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

Enter the user's email address for their Microsoft account, click Next and click
Finish. The user must complete the process of signing in themselves.

To create a local account, you would click the I don't have this
person's sign-in information link.

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 Managing User Accounts Managing an OS

Users can manage their own account from Settings. In the Accounts node,
they can select and configure options on the following tabs:

■ Your info—enables you to configure options such as a picture for your

account.

■ Email & app accounts—allows you to associate accounts with email and
other apps on the local computer, such as a Microsoft Outlook or Gmail
account.

■ Sign-in options—allows you to enable and configure advanced sign in

options, such as Windows Hello (biometrics), Picture password, and PIN
sign in.

■ Access work or school—from here, you can define additional accounts

that you use to access other networks, such as a work account or an
account used for accessing school resources.

In professional/enterprise Windows editions, administrators can use the Local

Users and Groups snap-in within the Computer Management console to
configure accounts. Options include setting a user’s password,
disabling/enabling an account, unlocking an account after too many bad
passwords, configuring group membership, or specifying login scripts and
profile paths.

Configuring local user accounts. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

This describes managing accounts on a standalone computer. On

a corporate network, such as a Windows domain, accounts,
privileges, and permissions are managed on a centralized server
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Module 1 / Unit 4

Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 4 / Managing an OS

Answer these questions to test what you have learned in this unit.

1) What is the registry and how does it distinguish Windows and Linux?

2) What term is used to describe terminating a process that is not responding

to user input?

3) Why might you use the Services snap-in to manage background processes
rather than Task Manager?

4) The Task Scheduler allows you to run a process automatically in Windows.

What is a widely-used Linux equivalent?

5) What part of the system memory setup is most user-configurable?

6) What two things are configured on a disk to make storage space on the
disk available to the Windows OS?

7) What is a CLI?

8) What protection feature in Windows is designed to prevent a script or

software from making unauthorized changes to the OS configuration?

9) True or false? A standard user cannot change their own password.

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 Managing an OS

Lab 4 / Using Management Interfaces

In this lab, you will learn how to access the principal management interfaces in
Windows 10.

1) If necessary, start your computer and sign in.

2) Right-click the Start button or press START+X.

This opens the Quick Access menu. This contains shortcuts to most of the
tools required by "power users."

Quick Access menu. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

3) From the Quick Access menu, select System.

This settings page provides information about the PC status and the
version of Windows currently installed.

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Module 1 / Unit 4 4) Take some time to browse other pages in the Settings app.

5) Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager. Alternatively, use the

Quick Access menu or right-click the taskbar. If necessary, click More
details at the bottom of the window to show the tabs.

6) On the Processes tab, right-click Settings and select End Task.

You can "kill" this task without risk of data loss but note that if you end a
task that is processing unsaved data, the information will be lost.

7) Start Paint and draw a picture in the window. Do not save the file.

8) In Task Manager, right-click Paint and select End Task.

"Killing" a process using Task Manager. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

The Paint window closes without prompting you to save the image you
created.

9) Note the division of processes into apps and background processes. The
background processes run without a window, though some may be
configurable via notification area icons. Click each of the CPU, Memory,
Disk, and Network headings in turn to sort processes by how much of the
computer's resources each is consuming.

10) Close Task Manager.

11) Press START+X and select Computer Management.

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 Computer Management is the default management console. Management Managing an OS
consoles can be configured with snap-ins to control most of the "power"
configuration options in Windows.

12) Select each of the following snap-ins to view them:

○ Task Scheduler—expand the node to view items in the task scheduler

library. You can see that Windows runs many processes automatically.

○ Disk Management—this shows you a summary of the disks attached

to the computer and the drives (partitions and file systems) configured
on them.

○ Services (expand Services and Applications)—the shortcut menu for

each service allows you to stop and start it or configure its properties.

13) Close Computer Management.

14) Press the START key and type control panel. Open the Control Panel
icon that appears in the search results.

Microsoft has removed Control Panel (and the legacy command

prompt) from the Quick Access menu in recent updates. You have
to directly edit the registry to recreate the shortcut.

With the latest feature update, there are relatively few configuration options
left in Control Panel.

15) Optionally, browse some of the applets then close the Control Panel
window.

16) Right-click Start and select Windows PowerShell.

Windows PowerShell is an example of a Command Line Interface (CLI).

17) Type the following command then execute it by pressing ENTER.

Get-NetIPConfiguration
This PowerShell commandlet displays configuration information for the
computer's network adapters.

You do not actually have to match the case of the command when
using PowerShell. The command environment is typically case-
insensitive. Using case makes the command easier to read and
typing mistakes less common however. In Linux, the command
environment is case-sensitive.

18) Type the following command then execute it by pressing ENTER.

ipconfig
This is an older command that displays similar information. PowerShell can
run both Windows command prompt commands and native commandlets.
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Module 1 / Unit 4 19) Press the START key and type cmd. Open the Command Prompt icon that
appears in the search results.

20) Type the following command then execute it by pressing ENTER.

ipconfig
Note that this executes in the same way as in the PowerShell CLI.

21) Type the following command then execute it by pressing ENTER.

Get-NetIPConfiguration
This produces an error message. The command prompt environment
cannot understand (parse) PowerShell commandlets. When using a CLI,
you need to understand which commands it can run as they are not all the
same.

22) Close any open windows.

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 Managing an OS

Lab 5 / Managing User Accounts

In this lab, you will practice using some of the account features of Windows 10.

1) Click Start and then click the Settings icon .

2) Click Accounts.

3) In the left-hand pane, click Sign-in options.

4) Under "PIN," click Add.

5) If prompted, enter your user account password and click OK.

6) In the Set up a PIN window, in the New PIN and Confirm PIN boxes, enter
a four-digit PIN and click OK.

7) Right-click the Start button and select Shut down or sign out > Sign out.

8) Press a key to dismiss the privacy shade then in the PIN box, type your
four-digit PIN. You are signed in.

9) Open Settings and then click Accounts.

10) In the left-hand pane, click Family & other people.

11) Click Add someone else to this PC.

12) In the "How will this person sign in?" window, click I don’t have this
person’s sign-in information.

13) On the "Let’s create your account" page, click Add a user without a
Microsoft account.

14) On the "Create an account for this PC" page, in the "Username" box, type
User1.

15) In the "Password" and "Re-enter password" boxes, type Pa$$w0rd

16) For the "Security question" boxes, just enter Pa$$w0rd each time.

We're just doing this to make the lab simpler. In a real scenario, get
the user to input the responses properly.

17) On the "Family & other people" page, click User1, and then click Change
account type. Notice that the user is a standard user. Click Cancel.

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Module 1 / Unit 4 Remember that a standard user is able to launch apps and install apps
from the Windows Store but is not able to change the system settings or
install desktop applications. It is always safer to sign in with a standard
user account for day-to-day computer use than it is to sign in with
administrator privileges.

18) Click Start, and then click the "head and shoulders" default user icon
that represents your account.

19) Click User1.

20) Enter Pa$$w0rd and press ENTER. Wait while the account’s profile is built.

21) When the account has been signed in, open Settings and then select
Accounts.

Note that there is no option to manage Family & other accounts.

22) Click the Sign-in options tab. You can configure an account password
from here (or use a different means of authenticating).

23) Open Microsoft Edge and view a few websites then open some apps or
desktop programs.

24) Right-click the Start button and select Shut down or sign out > Sign out.

25) Sign back into your own account by entering the PIN.

To complete this lab, we will reverse the changes you made.

26) Open Settings and then select Accounts.

27) In the left-hand pane, click Sign-in options. Under "PIN," click the
Remove button then confirm by clicking the Remove button. Enter your
password when prompted.

28) In the left-hand pane, click Family & other people.

29) Click the User1 account then click the Remove button. In the "Delete
account and data?" dialog, read the warning then click the Delete account
and data button.

When configuring a computer, it is important to take your time and read the
warnings displayed on notifications and dialogs.

30) Optionally, shut down your computer if you are not continuing to use it after
this lab.

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 Module 1 / Unit 5 Troubleshooting and
Support

Troubleshooting and Support

Objectives
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

□ Describe basic support and troubleshooting procedures.

□ Use websites and tools to obtain support and search for advice and help.

Syllabus Objectives and Content Examples

This unit covers the following exam domain objectives and content examples:

□ 1.6 Explain the troubleshooting methodology.

Identify the problem (Gather information, Duplicate the problem, if possible,
Question users, Identify symptoms, Determine if anything has changed,
Approach multiple problems individually) • Research knowledge
base/Internet, if applicable • Establish a theory of probable cause (Question
the obvious, Consider multiple approaches, Divide and conquer) • Test the
theory to determine the 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) • Establish a plan of
action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects • Implement the
solution or escalate as necessary • Verify full system functionality and, if
applicable, implement preventive measures • Document findings/lessons
learned, actions and outcomes

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Module 1 / Unit 5
Support and Troubleshooting

To some extent, being an effective troubleshooter simply involves having a

detailed knowledge of how something is supposed to work and of the sort of
things that typically go wrong. However, the more complex a system is, the
less likely it is that this sort of information will be at hand, so it is important to
develop general troubleshooting skills to approach new and unexpected
situations confidently.

Troubleshooting is a process of problem solving. It is important to realize that

problems have causes, symptoms, and consequences. For example:

■ A computer system has a fault in the hard disk drive (cause).

■ Because the disk drive is faulty, the computer is displaying a "bluescreen"

(symptom).

■ Because of the loss of service, the user cannot do any work

(consequence).

From a business point-of-view, resolving the consequences of the problem is

often more important than solving the original cause. For example, the most
effective solution might be to provide the user with another workstation, then
get the drive replaced.

CompTIA Troubleshooting Model

Make sure that you know the order of the steps in CompTIA's troubleshooting
model:

1) Identify the problem.

○ Gather information.

○ Duplicate the problem, if possible.

○ Question users.

○ Identify symptoms.

○ Determine if anything has changed.

○ Approach multiple problems individually.

2) Research knowledge base/Internet, if applicable.

3) Establish a theory of probable cause.

○ Question the obvious.

○ Consider multiple approaches.

○ Divide and conquer.

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 4) Test the theory to determine cause. Troubleshooting and
Support

○ 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.

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

effects.

6) Implement the solution or escalate as necessary.

7) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive

measures.

8) Document findings/lessons learned, actions and outcomes.

These steps and the approach and attitude you should apply when
troubleshooting are explained in a bit more detail below.

A methodical process is the ideal, but troubleshooting in help desk

and IT support departments is often a time-critical process. In the
real world, you often have to balance being methodical with being
efficient.

Identifying the Problem

It is important that when you encounter a troubleshooting situation, you

approach it logically. The first stage in the troubleshooting process is to identify
the problem. This stage involves a number of techniques.

Information gathering is the first step in troubleshooting. Image by rawpixel © 123rf.com. Page 87
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Module 1 / Unit 5 Question Users and Determine Changes
When a user first discovers a problem and reports it to the help desk, you will
attempt to classify the problem in terms of the problem’s nature and scope.
Most of your troubleshooting information will have to be obtained by
questioning the user. You must be patient and address your questions and any
test actions you ask them to perform to the user's level of expertise and
knowledge. Be polite, avoid blaming the user for causing the problem, and help
them to help you.

You will probably start by asking the user to describe the symptoms of the
problem and the status of the computer, including any error messages or
unusual conditions. During a discussion with the user, you should also ask:

■ How many people are affected by the problem? This helps determine the
severity of a problem. Clearly, if all users are affected, that is more serious
than if only one user is experiencing the problem.

■ When did the problem first occur? This could help you identify possible
causes of the problem. For example, if the problem occurred on Monday
morning during sign in, then that might indicate that the user’s password
expired over the weekend. The user might tell you that the problem has
been intermittent for the last three weeks, but that it suddenly got worse.
Either of these responses might help you focus your troubleshooting.

■ What might have changed? This is a crucial question because often,

problems occur after something changed. Sometimes, the thing that
changed might seem totally unrelated. For example, someone experiences
a problem right after some desks were moved. This might indicate a
cabling problem that has arisen after a cable was broken or unplugged.
The change might be a configuration change on your network or on the
specific user’s computer. Rolling back that change might resolve the issue.

Duplicate the Problem and Identify Symptoms

It is very helpful to be able to observe the issue as it occurs. You might be able
to do this via remote desktop or by visiting the user, but if these are not
practical you could test whether the problem can be repeated on a lab system
or virtual machine. If the problem cannot be duplicated on a reference system,
this points to some issue with the user's local environment.

You can also ask the user to describe symptoms, such as error messages
appearing on the screen, or ask them to navigate to the relevant log file and
report on its contents.

Approach Multiple Problems Individually

When you start to investigate symptoms, you might discover symptoms of
more than one problem. Perhaps a user has reported that a machine has lost
Internet connectivity, and you discover that it has also not been receiving
maintenance updates. The issues could be related, or one might be incidental
to the other.
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 If the problems do not seem to be related, treat each issue as a separate case. Troubleshooting and
Support
If they seem to be related, check for outstanding support or maintenance
tickets that might indicate existing problems.

It may also be the case that a user reports two different problems at the same
time (often preceded by, "While you're on the line…" sort of statements). Treat
each problem as a separate case. In most cases you should advise the user to
initiate a separate support ticket.

Gather Information and Research Symptoms

Your main source of information about a problem is likely to be the user
reporting it, but if this is insufficient to successfully troubleshoot, you may have
to consider other sources.

■ Use a remote desktop tool to access the system or travel to the user to
observe it in operation.

■ View system, application, or network log files.

■ Monitor other support requests to identify similar problems.

Once you have gathered sufficient information it is possible that you are able to
learn enough to resolve the problem. This is likely with simple issues, such as
password lockouts. If not, during this classification stage, you will document the
problem in your ticket system and provide as much background information as
you are able to determine. This will help you, or a colleague to whom you
might escalate the issue, resolve the problem.

If you do not recognize the problem, use a product Knowledge Base or a

web/Internet search tool to research the symptoms you have identified. Using
support resources and web searches is discussed in more detail later in this
unit.

Understanding the Problem

After you have gathered sufficient information about a reported problem, you
must start to determine a theory of probable cause from analysis of the
symptoms. This is a process of thinking about possible causes then eliminating
those possible causes through testing to arrive at the root cause. Ultimately,
the purpose is to complete the testing stage with a single probable cause,
enabling you to search for and implement a resolution.

Question the Obvious

If you can prove that there is no inherent fault (perhaps by failing to duplicate the
problem on a reference system), make sure that the system is set up and being
operated in the correct way. Step through the process of using the system or
application making sure that you verify even the simplest steps by questioning
the obvious, best illustrated by the age-old "Is it switched on?" question.
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Module 1 / Unit 5 Divide and Conquer
Often, a testing process might consist of a divide and conquer approach. This
means that you try to envisage different problem areas. In computing, this
might be like making the distinction between a workstation problem, a server
problem, a storage problem, or a network problem. You then devise a testing
routine to eliminate one or more categories of problem. This helps you more
quickly identify probable causes. For example, if you suspect a physical
cabling problem, try plugging the device into a different wall socket. If that
makes no difference, the problem lies elsewhere.

If you think about a typical automotive problem – your car won’t start – you
might go through a testing process yourself. You might start by listing possible
causes, and then eliminating them one by one. You check that there’s fuel in
the tank, so you move on. You verify, by turning the ignition, that the starter
motor turns, so the battery is good and so is the starter. You progress through
a series of tests to eliminate those possibilities that are not the cause of the
symptoms you have recorded. With luck, you end up with a single possibility
which you can then seek to resolve. Bear in mind that although there is fuel in
your tank, it might be contaminated or unable to flow to the engine. So, you
might need to perform several tests for a given possible cause.

This process also works with computer-related problems. Think back to the
cabling example. You plugged the computer into a different socket, but
perhaps the cabling issue lies at the wiring closet end?

Don’t jump to conclusions. Sometimes, reported symptoms can be identical for

several different causes. If you jump to a conclusion, you might waste valuable
time attempting to resolve the wrong issue. You will also frustrate your users
by taking longer to fix their problem. For example, if the light in your kitchen
does not come on, you could assume it’s a problem with the bulb when the
cause could also lie with the light fitting, the fuse box, or even the electrical
supply to your house. They all have the same symptom of your kitchen light not
coming on when you flick the switch. Before you head out to the store to buy a
new bulb, run simple tests to eliminate those other possible causes, by flicking
on another light or running an appliance for instance.

Consider Multiple Approaches

If one troubleshooting method does not yield results, be prepared to try
something different. For example, you might start by a process of questioning
the obvious and step through the operating procedure but switch to a divide
and conquer approach of testing each component in the process in isolation.

You might also suggest workarounds. A workaround doesn't actually solve the
reported problem but provides a way for the user to continue to work with the
system. That way you can deal with the consequences of the problem quickly
and give yourself more time to investigate the underlying issue.

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 Test the Theory and Escalate the Problem Troubleshooting and
Support

As you devise different theories of cause, you will naturally also be testing
them to see if they fit the facts. While "testing" follows "establishing" in the
methodology, the process is iterative (establish a theory, test it, if it doesn't
work, establish another theory). You might discover that the immediate cause
of a problem is itself just the symptom of a wider problem with a different
cause. The end result of this process, therefore, is to establish a root cause
for the problem.

If you are unable to resolve a problem during the initial phases, you might need
to escalate the problem. This largely depends on how your help desk
organization is structured.

Most help desks use a tiered system, with Tier 1 staff performing the
classification and some of the testing stages. If a problem cannot be resolved
quickly, then the problem is recorded and escalated to Tier 2. Staff at this level
have more experience and are allocated more time to work on these more
complex problems.

However, for even more difficult problems, Tier 2 staff can escalate to Tier 3.
These are IT specialists who have many years of experience in
troubleshooting. They might also be skilled in specific technologies, such as
email, networking, cloud platforms, and so on. In the unlikely situation where a
Tier 3 specialist is unable to resolve an issue, it can be escalated outside your
organization to a manufacturer.

When testing your theory of probable cause, it is important not to

make actual changes to the production system. If you make
uncontrolled changes, reversing what you’ve done might be very
difficult and you could cause worse problems than were originally
reported.

Resolving and Documenting the Problem

The result of the identifying and understanding phases of troubleshooting is a

diagnosis of the root cause of the reported problem. The final phase of
troubleshooting is to establish a plan of action to eliminate the root cause
without destabilizing some other part of the system.

Establish a Plan of Action

There are typically three solutions to any problem.

■ Repair—you need to determine whether the cost of repair/time taken to

reconfigure something makes this the best option.

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Module 1 / Unit 5 ■ Replace—often more expensive and may be time-consuming if a part is
not available. There may also be an opportunity to upgrade the device or
software.

A basic technique when troubleshooting a cable, connector, or

device is to have a "known good" duplicate on hand (that is,
another copy of the same cable or device that you know works)
and to test by substitution.

■ Ignore—as any software developer will tell you, not all problems are
critical. If neither repair nor replace is cost-effective, it may be best either to
find a workaround or just to document the issue and move on.

When you consider solutions, you have to assess the cost and time required.
Another consideration is potential effects on the rest of the system. A typical
example is applying a software patch, which might fix a given problem in one
piece of software but cause other programs not to work. This is where an
effective configuration management system comes into play, as it should help
you to understand how different systems are interconnected and cause you to
seek the proper authorization for your plan.

Implement the Solution

Your plan of action should contain the detailed steps and resources required to
implement the solution. As well as these practical steps, you have to consider
the issue of authorization. If you do not have the authority to implement a
solution, you will need to escalate the problem to more senior personnel. If
applying the solution is disruptive to the wider network, you also need to
consider the most appropriate time to schedule the reconfiguration work and
plan how to notify other network users.

When you make a change to the system as part of implementing a solution,

test after each change. If the change does not fix the problem, reverse it and
then try something else. If you make a series of changes without recording
what you have done, you could find yourself in a tricky position.

Verify Full System Functionality and Implement

Preventive Measures
When you apply a solution, validate that it fixes the reported problem and that
the system as a whole continues to function normally (that is, identify the
results and effects of the solution). Ensure that you were right and that the
problem is resolved. Can the user now log in properly? Is there any way you
can induce the problem again?

Before you can consider a problem closed, you should both be satisfied in your
own mind that you have resolved it and get the customer's acceptance that it
has been fixed. Restate what the problem was and how it was resolved then
confirm with the customer that the incident log can be closed.

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 To fully solve the root cause of a problem, you should try to eliminate any Troubleshooting and
Support
factors that may cause the problem to recur. For example, if a user plugs their
laptop into the wrong network jack, ensure that the jacks are clearly labeled to
help users in the future. If a faulty server induces hours of network downtime,
consider implementing failover services to minimize the impact of the next
incident.

Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes

All the way through the preceding steps, it is important that information about
the problem, tests performed, and attempted resolutions are recorded. That
way, when a problem is resolved, a complete record exists documenting the
symptoms, possible causes investigated, and the ultimate resolution. This
information can be very helpful when troubleshooting similar symptoms on
subsequently reported problems and provides the foundation of a knowledge
base for your help desk.

Most troubleshooting takes place within the context of a ticket system. This
shows who is responsible for any particular problem and what its status is. This
gives you the opportunity to add a complete description of the problem and its
solution (findings, actions, and outcomes).

This is massively useful for future troubleshooting, as problems fitting into the
same category can be reviewed to see if the same solution applies. It also
helps to analyze IT infrastructure by gathering statistics on what type of
problems occur and how frequently.

Creating a ticket in the Spiceworks IT Support management tool.

When you complete a problem log, remember that people other than you may
come to rely on it. Also, logs may be presented to customers as proof of
troubleshooting activity. Write clearly and concisely, checking for spelling and
grammar errors.
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Module 1 / Unit 5
Troubleshooting PC Issues

If you are troubleshooting a computer that will not start or a peripheral device
that will not work, first inspect the component for physical damage. Look for
dents, scratches, or cracks that might show a device has been dropped or
banged. This might have caused damage to the internal components. Inspect
cables and connectors for signs of wear and dirt. Inspect the ports on the
computer case for dirt and damage.

When you start a computer, it automatically runs a program stored in firmware

called the Power-On Self-Test (POST). The POST routine ensures that all the
components required to start the computer are present. If the tests complete
successfully, the computer may issue a single beep. Not many computers
beep these days, so do not be worried if the computer boots silently. You
should also be able to see images on the screen. Otherwise, try to isolate the
issue using the following tests:

■ 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).

Solid green lights (LEDs) generally show that something is

switched on and working. A flickering LED is usually a sign that
something is working too (for example, a disk or network activity
LED). A flashing or blinking LED or an LED colored other than
green can be a sign that there is a problem. Check the manual to
understand what the LED signifies.

■ 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.

■ 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.

If there are no problems during POST, the firmware then passes control of the
computer to the operating system, which finishes loading before displaying the
logon prompt. If the operating system fails to load, there should be an error
message. The error message should help to diagnose the cause of the boot
failure.

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 If the system boots but a peripheral device does not work, first check for loose Troubleshooting and
Support
connections between the device and the computer. If you can discount
physical problems, the device's driver might need updating or replacing.

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. These issues can be difficult to diagnose, but do check that the
computer is not becoming too hot. If the computer overheats, it can stop
working suddenly, and overheating can be a relatively common occurrence.

Getting Support

When troubleshooting a system, it is important not to attempt solutions that

may be beyond your experience or expertise. You could easily cause more
damage by "experimenting." In the first instance, follow the basic guidelines for
troubleshooting specific problems in the manufacturer's documentation. The
setup or maintenance guide should be included with a new PC system, though
often it is available as a PDF rather than printed copy.

The system's "Setup" or "Getting Started" guide will usually include troubleshooting advice.

You can also use the vendor's website to look for the documentation; typically,
you will need to use the product code to find this. For example, on HP's
website, click the link for "Support" then choose the "Drivers and Downloads"
option. Enter the product name or code to view the available files. This will
include drivers for hardware components and system guides and manuals.

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Module 1 / Unit 5

Use a vendor support site to obtain the documentation, drivers, and advice.

Note that the site also hosts online troubleshooting guides and product support
forums, where you can post questions to HP employees and other system
owners.

Windows Help and Tips

If you have a software problem rather than a computer one, you can access
online help for Windows by pressing F1. In Windows 10, you can also use the
Tips app from Start.

Windows 10 Tips app. Screenshot used with permission from Microsoft.

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 Contacting Technical Support Troubleshooting and
Support

If there is a problem with your computer or with a software application, it is

likely that you will need help to fix it. You may be able to get help from your
business's help desk, from the computer manufacturer, or from the software
vendor. You may be able to access support services by phone, by email, or
through a website.

A lot of support is now done remotely. This means that the operator
takes control of your computer to try to diagnose and fix the
problem.

Most IT support works on the basis of a job ticket. When you contact a support
operator, they will open the ticket and ask you to provide a description of the
problem. You should provide the following information:

■ Your name and contact information.

■ The software or device you are having trouble with (including its version
number, which can usually be found through the Help > About command,
or model and serial number).

■ The date you purchased the system (if applicable).

■ A description of the problem, including any error message or number.

Be polite and calm when reporting problems. You may feel

frustrated or be a bit fearful that you will lose important work, but if
you are rude or cannot provide clear information it will just make
the problem harder to resolve.

The operator should then work with you to try to resolve the problem. If the
operator asks you to perform troubleshooting actions, listen carefully to the
steps and confirm when you have completed each one. If the operator has to
call you back, make sure you get their name and your job ticket number.

When you agree that the problem has been solved, the ticket can be closed.

Technical Community Groups

Formal technical support may not be available to you or a user. A product
might be out of warranty and support may be expensive for instance. In this
case, you might want to use alternative support methods. Do be aware that
these may not be as reliable. If warranty support is available to you, use that in
the first instance.

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Module 1 / Unit 5 As mentioned above, PC and hardware vendors all operate forums to support
their products. There are also many community forums not tied to particular
vendors but hosting reviews, advice, support, and discussions about laptops,
or phones (or pretty much anything else). If you use an Internet search engine
to look for the symptoms of the problem you are having, the results are certain
to include posts in forums such as these.

When posting a problem to a newsgroup or forum, remember that

people are responding to you out of goodwill. Pick the appropriate
forum and check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before
posting. The FAQ is usually the first post in the forum. Do not
"cross-post" problems to multiple forums. Describe the problem
accurately, and be patient.

Software vendors also maintain forums and support websites. For example,
Microsoft's support website support.microsoft.com hosts solution centers for
each product. You can access troubleshooting articles and (if applicable)
assisted support via phone, email, or chat. More advanced articles plus
product documentation and some online books can be found at
technet.microsoft.com.

The communities site (answers.microsoft.com) features newsgroups, blogs,

webcasts, and forums dedicated to different Microsoft products. These
resources are generally monitored by Microsoft Most Valued Professional
(MVP) volunteers. mvps.org contains links to useful sites maintained by MVPs.
There are also numerous other technical community groups, some of which
are subscription-based. Some well-known ones include experts-
exchange.com, petri.com, and tomshardware.com.

Using a Search Engine

A search engine is a tool to help locate web pages. A search engine may be
designed to search the entire web for pages or to locate pages within a
particular site.

A search engine usually works by compiling a database of information about

web pages. This is often done automatically by software agents called robots
or spiders. When users want to perform a search, they enter keywords on the
topic they want to read about. The search engine checks these keywords
against its database and returns a list of links that are relevant. The user can
then click one or more links to go to the web page.

The most widely used search engines are Google and Microsoft's Bing,
though there are many more. Also, search engines have different sites for
different countries. For example, you can access Google at google.co.uk,
google.com, google.co.za, google.com.au, and so on.

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 In most browsers, if you type text into the address bar, the browser will convert Troubleshooting and
Support
the text into a search using the default search provider if it does not match an
actual web address. You can use browser settings or preferences to change
the default search provider.

When you construct a search phrase, it helps to use as many words as

possible. Do not use common words such as "and" or "the." Using more
unusual words will help to limit the number of matches.

Search Selection Criteria

As you start to build more complex search phrases, you can use special syntax
and search engine tools to combine keywords and perform advanced
searches.

Syntax Usage Example

" Use double quotation marks (") to "Monty Python"
specify a match to the exact phrase as
you typed it.
+ Put a plus sign (+) in front of a word that +snake +Python
must be found in the documents exactly
as you typed it.
- Put a minus sign (-) in front of a word to python -Monty
exclude it.
OR Find either of the words. The pipe (|) can snake | python
also be used to mean the same thing.
* The wildcard * represents unknown genius *
words between known ones. python
Fields Some engines may allow you to search inurl:monty
for words within a particular field (for python
example, the document's URL or its
TITLE).

As an alternative to using syntax, you can usually access the search engine's
Advanced Search page to specify criteria using a form.

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Module 1 / Unit 5

Google advanced search form.

Note that this syntax is not always supported by all search engines.
Also, there may be additional requirements (for example in Google
you have to enter an advanced query within square brackets).

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 Troubleshooting and
Support

Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 5 / Troubleshooting and Support

Answer these questions to test what you have learned in this unit.

1) You are advising a colleague about best practices when troubleshooting.

You have identified the following techniques to use to identify a problem:
gather information, duplicate the problem, question users, identify
symptoms, and approach multiple problems individually. If you are
following CompTIA's troubleshooting model, what other piece of advice
should you give?

2) You have asked a senior manager to authorize your plan of action for
resolving a fault in a software application. What name is given to the
process you are following?

3) You are setting up a new computer, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Should you check anything or contact the manufacturer?

4) Your computer locks up periodically and feels hot to the touch. Could these
things be related?

5) What crucial piece of information would you need when trying to locate
support information about a computer system on the manufacturer's
website?

6) If you do not have a support contract, what is likely to be the best option for
obtaining advice about a problem with an application?

7) You are looking for content on a topic but your search is returning millions
of matches that are not particularly helpful. What two methods could you
use to get better search results?

8) You want to find something on a particular website, but the site does not
have a search tool. Could you use a general search engine, and if so,
how?

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Module 1 / Unit 5

Lab 6 / Using a Search Engine

Using a search engine effectively is one of the most important skills you can
learn in terms of Internet use. In this lab, imagine you are troubleshooting an
issue where several users have reported that the cursor keeps jumping around
when they type on their laptops.

1) If necessary, start your computer and sign in then open the Edge browser

from the taskbar.

When you buy a computer from an OEM, you may want to change the
default search provider. For Edge, the engine must support OpenSearch
(opensearch.org) and you must have visited the search engine home page.

2) Open google.com (you will be redirected to the home page for your
country). If prompted, complete the wizard explaining Google's privacy and
data collection policies.

3) Click the More Actions ellipse icon and then click Settings.

4) Click View advanced settings. Scroll down to the "Privacy and services"
section then click Change search engine.

5) If you want to change the search provider (you do not have to), select
Google Search then click the Set as default button.

6) Click in the address box and type laptop cursor jumps then press
ENTER.

7) Browse through the results—you should find a mix of ad-supported sites

explaining the issue and forums with multiple posts relating to similar
issues. Take some time to explore some of these, using the Back button

to return to your search results.

Alternatively, right-click to open links in a new tab, then close the

tab when you have finished.

You might find a number of solutions, including an option in Windows 8 to

delay click events. As the user is running Windows 7 though, you
determine that a more specific search might yield better results.

8) Click in the address box and type hp laptop cursor jumps

"windows 7" then press ENTER.

9) In a new tab, search for hp notebook cursor jumps "windows 7"

and compare the results.

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 As you can see, the more specific you make the search, the fewer results Troubleshooting and
Support
are returned and the more likely they are to address the same issue that
you are researching.

10) Pick one of the HP forum pages ("h30434.www3.hp.com"), and read the
posts.

11) Click in the forum's search box and type dm4 cursor jumps "windows
7," change the list box option to Entire Forum and click Go.

12) Read some of the posts and their replies—note that the frequent request to
specify the exact model number when posting.

You decide to locate the latest touchpad driver version as the configuration
settings for palm rest do not seem to be present in the version you have.

13) Point to the forum's Support menu link and select Download drivers.

14) In the product box, type dm4-2070 then click Go. Open the link for the
matched product.

15) Note the option to use a software tool to identify missing drivers but use the
Go link under option 2.

16) Choose the OS option as Windows 7 then click Update.

17) Expand Driver-Keyboard, Mouse and Input Devices and you will see the
link for the touchpad driver.

We will not continue from here, but the next steps would be to ensure the
user's computer is backed up then download and install the driver. It can be
difficult to test whether a problem like this has really been solved so you
would encourage the user to report back after a day or two to confirm
whether the cursor problem was still present.

18) Optionally, shut down your computer if you are not continuing to use it after
this lab.

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 Module 1 / Summary Using Computers

Using Computers

In this module you learned the basics of using a computer, operating system,
and software applications. You also learned some best practices to follow
when troubleshooting a problem or obtaining technical support.

□ Computer functions can be described as belonging to one of input, output,

processing, and storage. Make sure you can identify the type of function
performed by PC components.

□ Different types of computing devices include desktops/workstations,

laptops, servers, smartphones, and tablets. Computing and networking
functions are also being incorporated into "Internet of Things" appliances
and objects.

Module 1 / Unit 2 / Using a Workstation

□ When installing computer equipment, work methodically and refer carefully
to system documentation and installation guides.

□ You learned about the main Windows user interfaces and how to navigate
around the Windows desktop and Start Screen or Start Menu using a
keyboard and mouse or touchpad.

Module 1 / Unit 3 / Using an OS

□ The main functions of an operating system are to act as a user interface,
provide a common platform for applications, and provide system and file
maintenance tools.

□ There are different types of operating systems for different devices and
commercial models. Windows is a commercial operating system, available
in a number of editions with different features. Alternative desktop
operating systems include Apple Mac OS and the various types of Linux
(open source) plus Google Chrome, while mobile devices are supported by
Windows Mobile, iOS, and Android.

□ Virtualization allows a single host computer to run multiple guest operating

systems or Virtual Machines (VM). The VMs are managed by a hypervisor.

□ You also learned how to use File Explorer to browse the file system and
network locations, Settings/Control Panel to adjust settings in Windows,
and a web browser to view websites.

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Module 1 / Unit Summary Module 1 / Unit 4 / Managing an OS
□ As well as user interfaces for navigating the software and files stored on
the OS, there are management interfaces for performing configuration.

□ You learned how to use tools to perform different management tasks, such
as for processes, memory, disks, and scheduling.

□ A Command Line Interface (CLI) allows control of the OS without a GUI.

There may be more than one CLI included with an OS and the commands
supported will vary.

□ The user who installs an OS typically becomes the administrator account

with complete control over system settings. Use standard accounts for day-
to-day use of the computer.

Module 1 / Unit 5 / Troubleshooting and Support

□ You should try to learn the steps and sequence of the CompTIA
troubleshooting model.

□ Make sure you can recognize common external issues. Be aware of the
consequences of problems, such as risk of data loss or loss of service, and
measures that can be taken to reduce them.

□ If there is a problem with hardware or software, you should be aware of the

various sources of assistance and information that you can use to try to
resolve it.

□ Make sure you can use a search engine effectively, including use of
advanced search tools or query syntax.

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