Microsoft-based Operating Systems

What is the difference between a workgroup and a domain?
What are the major advantages of working in a domain model?
What types of operating system installation methods do you know?
What is an answer file?
How would you create an answer file for Windows XP? How would you create one for Windows Vista?
How do you perform an unattended installation on Windows XP?
What is Sysprep?
The System Preparation tool (Sysprep) is a technology that you can use with other deployment tools to install Microsoft Windows operating systems with minimal intervention by an administrator or technician. Sysprep is typically used during large-scale rollouts when it would be too slow and costly to have administrators or technicians interactively install the operating system on individual computers.
How do you use Sysprep?
What is the major difference between Newsid and Sysprep?
What is the function of the pagefile.sys file?
What is the function of the hiberfil.sys file?
Ques: What is the Registry?
Ans: The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user interface and third party applications all make use of the Registry. The registry also provides a means to access counters for profiling system performance.

How can you edit the Registry? Name at least 3 ways of doing that.
What should you do if you receive a message stating: "The following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"?
How would you repair an unsuccessful driver update?
When should you use each of the fallowing tools: System Restore, LKGC and Recovery Console?
How do you set different print priority for different users?
How can you reset user's passwords if you don't know his current password?
What's the difference between changing a user's password and resetting it?
You want to grant a user the right to perform backups – should you add him to the administrators group?
Ques: What is MMC?
Ans: Microsoft Management Console. In Microsoft's own words, "Microsoft Management Console (MMC) hosts administrative tools that you can use to administer networks, computers, services, and other system components." That's all well and good, but what does it mean in real life? Basically, it means that you can create a customized set of tools and group them in a 'console' that is easily accessible without having to search through different locations to find one particular setting or group of settings.

Ques: What is gpedit.msc?
Ans: Group Policy is a feature of the Microsoft Windows NT family of operating systems. Group Policy is a set of rules which control the working environment of user accounts and computer accounts. Group Policy provides the centralized management and configuration of operating systems, applications and users' settings in an Active Directory environment.

How would you use the MMC to manage other servers on your network?
You set a local policy for your Stand-alone XP Professional – would the local policy effects the administrators group?
What new in the Windows Vista Local Policy?
What is the difference between User Privileges and User Permissions?
What is Safe Mode?
Which logs can be found in Event Viewer?
What is msconfig? On which OS can it be found?
Can you upgrade XP Home Edition to Server 2003?
Which permission will you grant a user for a folder he need to be able to create and delete files in, if you do not want him to be able to change permissions for the folder?
What is the difference between clearing the "allow" permission and checking the "deny"?