A + CertificationOperating Systems

CompTIA A+ is part of the certification track for corporations such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Novell. Other technology companies, including CompuCom and Ricoh, have made CompTIA A+ certification mandatory for their service technicians.

A + Certification

A + Required ExamsRequired exams CompTIA A+ 220-801

CompTIA A+ 220-802

Number of questions Maximum of 90

Type of questions Multiple choice and performance-based

Length of test 90 minutes

Recommended experience Six to 12 months hands-on experience in the lab or field

Passing score CompTIA A+ 220-801: 675 (on a scale of 900)CompTIA A+ 220-802: 700 (on a scale of 900)

Languages English, Japanese, German, Thai, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, Arabic

Certification is the starting point for a career in IT.

The exams cover maintenance of PCs, mobile devices, laptops, operating systems and printers.

The CompTIA A+

• Required for Dell, Intel and Lenovo service techs

• Recognized by U.S. Dept. of Defense

• An ANSI accredited Certifier - 0731

• Vendor-neutral

• Held by 900,000 IT professionals

Why CompTIA A+?

• Technical support specialist• Field service technician• IT support technician• IT support administrator• IT support specialist

Jobs that use CompTIA A+

Identify the operating system’s role. Compare and contrast Window 2000/XP,

Vista, and Windows 7 features. Navigate the Windows Desktop

environment. Identify options for launching command

line utilities.

Objectives

Introduction to DOS Installing Windows XP Installing Windows VistaPerforming Preventative MaintenanceTroubleshooting

Course Outline for the Operating System

Overview of the MS-DOS Operating

System

Personal Computer Hardware

Four Functions of the microcomputer

Basic Functions

Input

Processing

Output

Storage

Operating System (OS)◦ System Kernel◦ Device Drivers◦ User Interface

Network Operating System (NOS) Application Software

Types of Software…

Microsoft operating systems

MS-DOS Windows NT/2000 Windows XP Windows Vista/7 Windows 8.1

Non-Microsoft operating systems

OS/2 UNIX Linux Macintosh OS X

Common Operating Systems

The Kernel at the center

OS

Processor

Hard Disk

Devices

Input/output

Memory

Provide the way devices interact with the OS and the rest of the system.

Drivers

The NOS is optimized to provide interaction between other computers.

Network Operating System

Provide the interaction between the computer and the user

…Application Software

Version Source Shell GUI Network

◦ Cooperative Multitasking◦ Preemptive Multitasking◦ Multithreading

OS Terms

1 - DOS Architecture and Setup

Functions of an operating system

File management Interaction

between software requests and hardware actions

Configuration of the working environment

Provision of a user interface

Security Multitasking

CPU executes routines from BIOS◦ POST and bootstrap

Boot sector starts the operating system◦ IO.SYS◦ MSDOS.SYS◦ CONFIG.SYS◦ COMMAND.COM◦ AUTOEXEC.BAT

DOS load sequence

BIOS Loads the Boot Record

Boot record

BIOSROM

RAM

Storage Memory Processor

Load the boot record into

RAM, and move the instruction pointer

to the boot record.

Instructions:

The Boot Record Loads Io.sys

Boot record

BIOSROM

RAM

Storage Memory Processor

Load Io.sys into RAM, and move the instruction pointer to the SYSINIT

routine.

Instructions:

Io.sysSYSINIT routine

SYSINIT Takes Over

BIOSROM

RAM

Storage Memory Processor

Copy SYSINIT routine

to a different location, and load Msdos.sys over

the original SYSINIT.

Instructions:

Io.sysSYSINIT routine

SYSINIT routine

Msdos.sys

Msdos.sys Runs

BIOSROM

RAM

Storage Memory Processor

Initialize the hardware, activate the filing system,

and move the instruction pointer to

the SYSINIT.

Instructions:

Io.sysMsdos.sys

SYSINIT routine

SYSINIT Processes Config.sys and Loads Command.com

BIOSROM

RAM

Storage Memory Processor

Use Msdos.sys

routine to process Config.sys. Then load

Command.com

Instructions:

Io.sysMsdos.sys

SYSINIT routine

Config.sys

Command.com

640 KB 384 KB 64 KB

MS-DOS Memory Map

Upper Memory Area

Conventional Memory High Memory Area Extended RAM

(Total amount limited only by your hardware)

...

1 MB0

IO.SYS MSDOS.SYS CONFIG.SYS (optional) COMMAND.COM AUTOEXEC.BAT (optional)

MS-DOS Boot Order

IO.SYS◦Device drivers

MSDOS.SYS◦Kernel

COMMAND.COM◦Command

interpreter◦DOS shell◦ Internal

commands

Errors if files are missing◦ IO.SYS and

MSDOS.SYS - missing operating system

◦COMMAND.COM - bad or missing command interpreter

DOS architecture

CONFIG.SYS◦ Extra device drivers◦ Memory management◦ Customized DOS system values

AUTOEXEC.BAT◦ TSR programs◦ Environment variables

DOS architecture

SYS A:◦ Use to retain files already on disk

FORMAT A: /S◦ Use on an unformatted disk◦ Use when files already on disk are no longer

needed SETUP /F

◦ Copies extra useful files such as SYS and FDISK

Creating a boot floppy

Create a partition or partitions◦ FDISK

Create the filing system◦ FORMAT (FAT16)◦ FAT and root directory

Install the operating system◦ Boot from disk 1◦ Run SETUP.EXE

Configuring a hard drive

1. Create DOS partition or logical DOS drive

2. Set active partition3. Delete partition or logical DOS drive4. Display partition information5. Change current disk drive

FDISK command options

1. Create primary DOS partition 2. Create extended DOS partition 3. Create logical DOS drives in the extended DOS

partition

Create DOS partition or logical DOS drive

E

D

C Primary DOS partition

Extended DOS partition

Logical drives in the extended DOS partition

E

D

C Primary DOS partition - ACTIVE

Extended DOS partition

Logical drives in the extended DOS partition

ROM BIOS boot strap program

Set active partition

/S SYSTEM /U UNCONDITIONAL /Q QUICK /V: VOLUME LABEL /C RETEST BAD CLUSTERS

The FORMAT command

Boot from disk1 Install on to hard disk Create emergency floppy disk

◦ SETUP /F ◦ FORMAT /S ◦ SYS A:

Install optional Windows components◦ SETUP /E

DOS setup

CONFIG.SYS◦Loads device

drivers◦Performs memory

management◦Customizes DOS

system values

AUTOEXEC.BAT◦Executes DOS

commands◦Loads TSR

programs Anti-virus Network Applications

◦Creates environment variables

DOS startup files

Starting DOS…◦ Press F5 to bypass both files◦ Press F8 to step through each instruction in each

file

Bypassing startup files

BUFFERS FILES COUNTRY INSTALL DEVICE or

DEVICEHIGH LASTDRIVE NUMLOCK

DOS SHELL STACKS FCBS SWITCHES

CONFIG.SYS commands

ECHO PATH SET PROMPT UNDELETE SMARTDRV

KEYB SHARE DOSKEY MOUSE MSCDEX WIN

AUTOEXEC.BAT commands

2 – DOS File Structure

File Allocation System Hierarchical System A ROOT Directory and Sub-Directories No two file may have the same name Names are 8.3 Reserved Characters Reserved Extensions

FAT

DOS reserves file names. DOS reserves extensions.

◦ .COM◦ .EXE◦ .BAT◦ .INI◦ .SYS◦ .TXT

FAT cont.

DOS PATH

PATH is defined in the Autoexec.bat file ROOT is identified with \ DOS searches C:\ then A:\ by default Other paths must be defined. Example is

◦PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WP

The way commands are entered There are two wildcards

◦ * Matches any word◦ ? Matches any character

Two types of DOS Commands◦ Internal◦ External

SYNTAX

HIMEM.SYS DOS=HIGH EMM386.EXE DOS=UMB LOADHIGH DEVICEHIGH

Memory management commands

CONFIG.SYS◦DOS=HIGH,UMB◦DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS◦DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE (NOEMS or RAM)

◦DEVICEHIGH=xxxxxx AUTOEXEC.BAT

◦LOADHIGH=xxxxx

Memory related commands

RAMDRIVE◦ Allows you to use RAM memory as if it is a hard

disk◦ Use for temporary files

SmartDrive◦ Performs disk caching

Optimizing disk access

Memory used as disk

Much faster file access

Use for temp directory or R/O files

DEVICE=RAMDRIVE.SYS in CONFIG.SYS

Use /E to select Extended memory

Using a RAM drive

Read caching - anticipate reads Write caching - delay writes SMARTDRV in AUTOEXEC.BAT Optimizing RAM for SmartDrive

◦ SmartDrive or applications

Disk caching

Sets file attributes◦ Read-only◦ Hidden◦ System◦ Archive

Read-only files cannot be deleted from DOS

ATTRIB

Check drive C◦ CHKDSK C:

Check and fix drive C◦ CHKDSK C: /F

CHKDSK

Replaces CHKDSK◦ Menu-based

Checks and fixes file and directory problems

Scans the physical surface of the drive

SCANDISK

Defragment files Move files to contiguous disk space

DEFRAG

Information◦ VER, DIR, MEM,

TREE Disks

◦ FORMAT, UNFORMAT, SYS, FDISK, SCANDISK, DEFRAG

Directories◦ CD, RD, MD

Files◦COPY, XCOPY,

MOVE, DEL, UNDELETE, ATTRIB, REN, EDIT

Useful DOS commands

Fat 16 Fat 32 NTFS

Disk File Systems

Partition Size◦16 – 128 MB◦128 – 257 MB◦257 – 511 MB◦511 – 1024 MB◦1 – 2 GB

Fat32 supports up to

Clusters2481632

2 terabytes.

Allocation Units Fat 16

Partition Size◦512 MB (min. size)◦512 – 8 GB◦8 – 16 GB◦16 – 32 GB◦Over 32 GB

Fat32 supports up to Only OSR2 and up.

Clusters

481632

2 terabytes

Allocation Units Fat 32

Fat 16/32 compared

Fat 16 File system

Fat 32 File system

32 KB Cluste

r

32 KB Cluste

r

Wasted

Space

4 KB Cluster

s

4 KB Cluster

s

Space used

by file

Space used

by file

Wasted

spaceFree Space

Cluster Usage for a 41 KB file on a partition larger than 1 GB

Everything you ever wanted to know about your systems devices.

Resolving systems conflicts:◦ X Driver disabled◦ ! There is a problem.

◦ ? Doesn’t know the device

Device Manager

Virtual Memory Disk Caching Disk Conversion Disk Compression

File Management

Defragmenter◦ Clusters are arranged in their most commonly

accessed order.◦ Often-used applications are stored in more

favorable positions on the drive.◦ A log is created in C:\Windows\Applog\optlog.txt

Disk Clean

Common Utilities

Scheduling the Utilities Use the Maintenance Wizard. Use the Task Scheduler. Use the System File Checker

◦ Found in MSI under the Tools option.

Common Utilities

MSI◦ System Monitor◦ Resource Monitor

Device Manager

Resource Monitoring

The Universal Driver ArchitectureWindows 9x

Universal driver Universal driverUniversal driver

Mini-driver Mini-driver Mini-driver

Printer External

CD-ROM drive

Network card

SDP110

Professional Workstation 5000

SDP110

Professional Workstation 5000

The WDM Layered Architecture

Hardware

NT

KE

RN

.VX

D

Bus mini-driver

Bus class driver

Device mini-driver

Device class driver

Legacy virtualization driver

Applications

NT

KE

RN

.VX

D

SDP110

Professional Workstation 5000

SDP110

Professional Workstation 5000

The Components of the Display-driver Architecture

GDIMini

DriverDisplay Adapter

VDDDisplay Device

VFLATD DIBENG.DLL Mini-VDD

Cooperative vs. Preemptive Multitasking

Time

Cooperative

Control relinquished to

other tasks voluntarily.

Controlled by

applications.

Task A

Task B

Task A

Task B

Preemptive

Control relinquished to

other tasks involuntarily.

Controlled by the

operating system.

System Resources

Interrupt request (IRQ)

Input/Output ports (I/O)

Memory addresses

Direct memory access (DMA) channel

Win32 Driver Model (WDM)◦ Provides a uniform interface to devices and

drivers, regardless of the version of Windows running.

◦ With 98, Windows NT driver model and Windows 95 driver model were brought together into a unified model.

◦ WDM provides a common set of drivers that work in Windows 98 and future versions of Windows NT.

Hardware Management

WDM was first implemented in Windows 95 OSR2.1

The following Technologies are supported by WDM:◦ USB◦ IEEE 1394 (Firewire)◦ OnNow Power management◦ DVD platform◦ Digital audio platform

Win32 Driver Model (WDM)

Multi-layer design:◦ All hardware specific functionality is contained

in a single file, isolated from the rest of the layers.

Legacy Software Support:◦ A virtualization driver (VxD) is a 32-bit,

protected mode driver that manages a system resource so that more than one application can use the resource at one time.

OS Service Translation:◦ This allow manufacture to design for both

windows 98 and 2000.

WDM Architecture

Can be up to 255 characters Max with DOS path is 260 characters Can include multiple spaces and periods Cannot include illegal characters:

/\:*?”<> Will preserve the case Cannot have two file in the same directory

with the same name in either upper or lower case.

Long File Name Support (LFN)

Will generate a 8.3 file name (Alias)◦ Base Name: first six legal characters◦ Numeric Tail: tilde (~) and a number◦ Extension: first three legal characters after the

period.◦ Example:

File name… Here is an example.txt

Becomes… HEREIS~1.TXT (Notice the Capital letters for

DOS)

Long File Name Support (LFN)