Module 13 - Installing and Troubleshooting Operating Systems

A set of question-and-answer flashcards covering the key concepts from Module 13: Installing and Troubleshooting Operating Systems, including installation strategies, hardware considerations, boot methods, repair options, app installation requirements, and common troubleshooting procedures.

What is an attended installation?

An installation performed manually by the administrator or user, where you start the computer, boot from media, and click through the installation steps yourself.

What is an unattended installation?

An installation that is automated, often with some level of automation: low touch (some interaction), zero touch (fully automated).

What does low touch (light touch) unattended installation mean?

A somewhat automated deployment that still requires some human interaction, such as initiating deployment and monitoring progress.

What does zero touch installation mean?

A 100% automated installation or upgrade with no user interaction required.

What is a high touch installation?

An attended installation that requires a high level of user interaction during the process.

Define a clean installation.

A fresh OS installation on a blank hard drive with nothing from a previous OS present.

Define an in-place upgrade.

Upgrading an existing operating system on a machine (e.g., Windows 10 to Windows 11) while aiming to preserve data and apps, subject to compatibility rules.

What does 32-bit vs 64-bit mean for upgrades?

Upgrades generally must stay within the same architecture (32-bit to 32-bit, 64-bit to 64-bit); you cannot upgrade a 32‑bit system to a 64‑bit version.

Why is hardware compatibility important before upgrading to Windows 11?

To ensure CPU, RAM, storage, and especially TPM 2.0 and driver/app support are sufficient for the new OS.

What does TPM stand for and why is it relevant to Windows 11?

Trusted Platform Module; a hardware security module required by Windows 11 (TPM 2.0 or higher).

What is boot device priority?

The order of devices the computer will try to boot from first (e.g., USB, DVD, hard drive).

How do you change boot device priority?

Enter the BIOS/UEFI setup (commonly by pressing Delete or F2 during startup) and adjust the boot order.

What is booting from optical media?

Booting from a CD or DVD drive to install or repair an OS.

What is booting from USB?

Booting from a USB drive to install or repair an OS; faster and common for unattended deployments.

What is network boot (PXE)?

Booting or deploying an OS over the network using a server image (PXE boot).

What is a recovery partition?

A hidden partition used to reset or recover the OS to factory or default state.

Differentiate Refresh and Reset in Windows 10 (historically).

Refresh kept user data while reinstalling system files; Reset could wipe everything. In newer Windows versions, Refresh features were incorporated into Reset with options to keep documents, apps, or settings.

What is system restore?

A feature that returns the system to a previous checkpoint without affecting user data; creates restore points automatically or manually.

How do you access System Restore or create a restore point in Windows?

Open System properties and use System Restore; or search for "Create a restore point" to manage restore points.

How do you rollback a Windows update?

In Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates, select the update and uninstall it; or via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and uninstall updates.

How do you rollback a driver in Windows?

Open Device Manager, select the device, go to the Driver tab, and choose Rollback Driver to revert to the previous version.

What are common steps to troubleshoot performance issues?

Use Task Manager, then Resource Monitor or Performance Monitor; reboot if needed; apply updates; verify requirements; check startup items; examine power management.

What power management issue can affect performance on laptops?

Power saver mode or poor power plan can throttle CPU/RAM; use High Performance when plugged in to maximize performance.

What is POST and what does a single beep indicate?

Power-On Self Test; a single short beep usually means all hardware passed checks.

What might no POST beep indicate?

Possible power supply or motherboard fault; the POST speaker or motherboard may be defective.

What is Safe Mode and when is it used?

A minimal-startup mode with few drivers/services enabled; used to troubleshoot startup issues or remove faulty drivers.

How can you access the Advanced Boot Options menu?

Typically by pressing F8 during boot on older Windows versions or using the recovery/advanced startup options on newer systems.

What is the purpose of the Advanced Boot Options (the blue screen) in troubleshooting?

To access tools like Safe Mode, System Restore, and other recovery options to diagnose and fix startup problems.

What is shadow IT and why is it important in OS deployment?

The use of unauthorized software or services that can introduce licensing, compliance, and security risks for a business.

Why is license and compliance tracking important when deploying applications?

Many applications require licenses (per-user or per-device); non-compliance can lead to legal and financial consequences.

What is the difference between integrated graphics and a dedicated graphics card?

Integrated (onboard) graphics are built into the motherboard or CPU; dedicated graphics are separate cards with their own VRAM and higher performance.

What does VRAM affect?

Video RAM; more VRAM improves performance in graphics-intensive tasks and games.

Why is OS edition compatibility important for upgrades?

Different Windows editions (Home, Pro, Enterprise) have different upgrade paths and features; mismatches can block upgrades.