A+ OS Basics

Operating System (OS)

Software that manages interactions between hardware and applications and provides a user interface.

Four standard functions of an operating system

File management,

managing hardware/software

input/output support,

OS configuration.

Major advantages of Windows

Large industry support, many versions, and broad software support.

Disadvantages of Windows

Its large install base makes it a major target, and broad hardware support can create compatibility challenges.

Linux

A free, open-source, highly customizable operating system available in many distributions.

Major advantages of Linux

Free, flexible, supports a wide variety of hardware, and has a large community.

Potential disadvantages of Linux

Limited driver support for some hardware and no single centralized user-support system.

macOS

Apple's operating system designed for Mac computers.

Advantages of macOS

Ease of use, strong compatibility within Apple's ecosystem, and relatively fewer security concerns.

Disadvantages of macOS

Requires Apple hardware, has less industry support than Windows, and Apple hardware can be more expensive.

ChromeOS

Google's Linux-kernel-based operating system centered around Chrome and cloud-based applications.

Important consideration when using ChromeOS

It relies heavily on cloud-based applications, so network connectivity is important.

iPadOS

Apple's operating system designed specifically for iPad tablets.

iOS

Apple's closed-source, Unix-based operating system for iPhones.

Android

An open-source mobile operating system based on Linux and used by many manufacturers.

Organization that maintains Android

The Open Handset Alliance.

Importance of OS end-of-life

An unsupported OS may stop receiving important security and performance updates.

Main reasons to keep an operating system updated

For security patches and performance improvements.

Data sharing between different operating systems

Cross-platform data compatibility is possible depending on file formats and networking protocols.

What kind of applications can be used on different OS without needing OS-specific versions?

Web/cloud based applications.

Applications meant to run locally have OS-specific versions.

What is a file system?

A structure an operating system uses to organize and store data on a formatted partition.

What must be done before a partition is created?

The partition must be formatted with a file system.

What is NTFS?

NT File System

A common Windows file system featuring advanced security and management features. The standard.

Key features supported by NTFS

• File compression

• encryption

• symbolic links

• large file support

• security permissions

• recoverability

What is ReFS?

Resilient File System

A Microsoft file system designed for resilience, large storage systems, and integrity checking.

Used by enterprises, not everyday home/work computers.

Major purpose of ReFS?

Maintaining data integrity and resilience through ongoing integrity checks and self-repair.

Key size limitation of FAT32?

Maximum individual file size limit of $4\,\text{GB}$.

What is exFAT?

Extended FAT; a file system commonly used with removable and flash storage.

Advantage of exFAT over FAT32?

Supports individual files larger than $4\,\text{GB}$ while maintaining broad cross-OS compatibility.

What is ext4?

Extended File System 4

The standard file system used by Linux.

What is XFS?

A high-performance Linux file system designed for scalability and large-scale storage.

What is APFS?

Apple File System; Apple's file system used by macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, optimized for Solid-State Drives (SSDs).

What is PXE?

Preboot eXecution Environment; allows a computer to boot and perform OS installation over a network.

Primary use case for PXE?

Installing an operating system remotely from a network server instead of local installation media.

What is Multiboot?

Having two or more operating systems installed and selecting which one to start from a boot menu.

What is clean install?

An installation that wipes the existing environment and installs a fresh OS.

What is an in-place upgrade?

Upgrading the existing OS while retaining applications, documents, and settings.

What is an image deployment?

Deploying a prepared OS image to computers for quick, standardized installation.

What is a remote installation?

Installing software without being in front of the hardware.

Usually refers to deploying an OS or application over a network from a server or shared location.

What is a recovery partition?

A typically hidden partition containing files used to restore the operating system.

What is a repair installation?

Reinstalling or replacing OS files to repair Windows while attempting to restore functionality.

What is a Zero-touch deployment?

An automated deployment process requiring little or no user interaction.

What is the organizational benefit of zero-touch deployment?

Allows standardized device configurations to be deployed automatically at scale.

What is a disk partition?

A logical division of a physical storage drive.

What is a Volume in Windows?

A formatted partition or storage area that Windows can use.

What is GPT?

GUID Partition Table.

A modern way to partition storage drives.

What does GUID stand for?

Globally Unique Identifier.

What firmware uses GPT?

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).

What is the maximum number of partitions GPT supports in Windows?

Up to 128 partitions.

What is MBR?

Master Boot Record; an older disk-partitioning scheme.

Major disk-size limitation of MBR?

$2\,\text{TB}$ maximum disk volume size.

What is the maximum number of primary partitions on an MBR disk?

4 primary partitions.

What is an Extended partition (in MBR)?

A special partition type on MBR disks that can contain logical partitions.

What is BIOS compatibility mode?

A UEFI setting that provides compatibility with older BIOS functionality.

Which security feature is disabled during BIOS compatibility mode?

Secure Boot.

What is disk partitioning?

Dividing and preparing storage into logical sections.

Why should you be careful when changing partitions?

Doing so can result in permanent data loss.

What is a quick format?

Creates a new file-system structure without performing the additional checks of a full format.

How recoverable is data after a quick format?

Data can often still be recovered because a quick format does not necessarily overwrite underlying data.

What is a full format?

Creates a file system, overwrites existing data blocks, and checks the disk for bad sectors.

Formatting vs. secure drive sanitization

Two very different processes.

Formatting creates a usable file system, whereas secure data destruction or sanitization deletes specific or all data on a drive.

Difference between an upgrade and a clean installation?

An upgrade retains existing files/settings, while a clean installation starts completely fresh.

Starting location for an in-place OS upgrade?

Initiated directly from inside the existing operating system.

Common starting method for a clean install?

Booting directly from external installation media (like a flash drive).

Critical step before repartitioning or reformatting a drive?

Backing it up.

Key checks before installing or upgrading an OS?

Verify minimum hardware requirements, driver availability, installation requirements, and application compatibility.

What is the Windows tool for checking Windows 11 compatibility?

PC Health Check.

What are Windows quality updates?

Regular updates containing security updates and bug fixes.

What are Windows feature updates?

Larger periodic releases that introduce new OS features.

What are the two key Windows 11 requirements?

TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot capability.

Which command is used to open TPM management information?

tpm.msc

Why should you check application system requirements before installation?

To ensure the host computer has the requisite hardware performance and OS version to run the software.

What are the two common OS CPU architectures?

32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64).

What is the RAM addressing limit of a 32-bit architecture?

Approximately $4\,\text{GB}$ of RAM.

Can a 32-bit OS run a 64-bit applications?

No; 32-bit operating systems cannot run 64-bit applications.

Can a 64-bit OS run 32-bit applications?

Yes; 64-bit operating systems can commonly run 32-bit applications.

Can drivers have separate versions based on CPU/OS compatibility?

Yes; drivers can have separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

What hardware must be checked before application installation?

CPU speed/cores, RAM capacity, storage space, graphics capabilities, and other application-specific requirements.

What are integrated graphics?

Graphics capabilities integrated into the processor/system rather than provided by a separate graphics card.

What are dedicated graphics?

A separate graphics device with dedicated graphics-processing resources and VRAM.

What is VRAM?

Video RAM; high-speed memory used by graphics hardware.

What is an external hardware token?

A physical external drive (often USB) that is used to authenticate access to software.

What is an ISO file?

A image file containing that mirrors the complete content and structure of an optical disc, sector by sector- often used to store and quickly install an OS.

Why test applications before large-scale deployment?

Compatibility or upgrade problems can cause downtime, performance issues, data loss, or workflow disruption.

What is cloud computing?

Providing computing resources and services over a network or the internet.

What is the major benefit of cloud storage?

Storage capacity can be expanded without maintaining physical storage infrastructure yourself.

Capabilities provided by cloud collaboration tools?

File sharing, video conferencing, presentations, messaging, and real-time collaboration.

What is identity synchronization?

Synchronizing user identities between systems/directories so users can access cloud resources.

Examples of cloud identity providers?

Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and Google Identity.

What is coud-based licensing?

Centrally assigning and managing software or service licenses for users or devices through cloud systems.