The A+ Certification & PC Repair Handbook (Charles River Media Networking/Security)

Although Windows XP is a groundbreaking version of Windows that combines the best features of every version of the entire Windows family, it is by no means an easy task to apply and understand all of the possible technologies available. With the help of this chapter, you should now be well-versed in the intricate utilities and networking technologies present in Windows XP. Windows XP has been added to the A+ Operating Systems Technologies exam as a CompTIA 2003 Objective, and you should expect to see several questions regarding this operating system. You should now have a good understanding of the following ideals:

• The Windows XP installation and upgrade processes; specifically, which versions can be upgraded and which cannot.

• The Windows XP start-up process, including HAL and its functions.

• The basics of Remote Installation Service, unattended, and answer file based installations.

• Windows XP administration utilities, such as MMC, Backup, System Restore, Event Viewer, Device Manager, Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance, Recovery Console, and MSCONFIG.

• Profiles: local, roaming, and mandatory.

• Printer installation and troubleshooting.

• How to use Network Setup Wizard to configure networking components.

• How to use New Connection Wizard to connect to the Internet, especially with broadband adapters.

• How to install Internet Connection Firewall and understand what it can and cannot do.

The best way to assert your skills is to ensure that you understand not only which answer is the correct answer, but why a particular answer is correct and others are not. The following review questions will give you an opportunity to test your comprehension of this chapter, as well as help prepare you for the exam.