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Q1. What is the difference between Domain and Workgroup?
Ans: Domain-A domain is a group of computers and devices on a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures. Within the Internet, domains are defined by the IP address. All devices sharing a common part of the IP address are said to be in the same domain.
In a Domain:
• One or more computers are servers. Network Administrators use servers to control the security and permissions for all computers on the domain. This makes it easy to make changes because the changes are automatically made to all computers.
• If you have a user account on the domain, you can log on to any computers on the domain without needing an account on that computer.
• There can be 100s or 1000s of computers.
• The computers can be on different local networks.
A domain usually costs more money to setup because there is more hardware and software required
Domain:
1) Centralized Administration.
2) Security of Data, User & Groups
3) Server & Clients Based
4) Windows 2000 & 2003 Server or Advance Support For Server Configuration
5) File, Folder & User & Group Permission we can assign.

Workgroup: Workgroup computing occurs when all the individuals have computers connected to a network (a group of two or more computer systems linked together) that allows them to send e-mail to one another, share data files, and other resources such as printers. Normally, a workgroup is limited to 10 network devices/computers. Also, both Windows XP Pro and Home can function in a workgroup environment
In a Workgroup:
• All computers are pears; no computer has control over another computer.
• Each computer has a set of user accounts. To use any computer in the workgroup, you must have an account on that computer.
• There are typically no more than ten to twenty computers.
• All computers must be on the same local network or subnet.

WORKGROUP:
1) No Centralized Administration.
2) Not much security for Data, User & Groups. (Depends on Configuration)
3) No Server & Client Matter. Each pc reacts like a Client as well as Server.
4) Basically Windows 98 & XP is going to used in Clients side.
5) We can assign permission to drives & folder & files but much security than Domain

Q2. What are the main advantages of working in a domain model?
Ans:1 Centralized administration because all user information is stored in the Active Directory database. This centralization allows users to manage only a single user name and password, and enables domain administrators to control which users can access resources on any computer that is a member of the domain.
2)Security of Data, User & Groups
3)Server & Clients Based
4)Windows 2000 & 2003 Server or Advance Support For Server Configuration
5)File, Folder & User & Group Permission we can assign.

Q3. How to join or create a workgroup?
Ans: When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name. You can join an existing workgroup on a network or create a new one.
1. Open system by clicking the start button, clicking control panel, clicking system and maintenance, and then clicking system.
2. Under computer name, domain, and workgroup setting, click the computer name tab, and then click change.
3. Under member of, click workgroup, and then do one of the following:
• To join an existing workgroup, type the name of the workgroup that you want to join, and then click Ok.
• To create a new workgroup, type the name of the workgroup that you want to create, and then click Ok.
If you change the name of the existing workgroup, a new workgroup will be created with that name.
If your computer was a member of a domain before you join the workgroup, it will be removed from the domain and your computer account on that domain will be disabled.

Q4. How to connect your computer to a Domain?
Ans: Steps:
1. Open system by clicking the start button, clicking control panel, clicking system and maintenance, and then clicking system.
2. Under computer name, domain, and workgroup setting, click change setting.
3. Click the computer name tab, and then click change.
4. Under member of, click domain.
5. type the name of the domain that you want to join, and then click Ok.
You will be asked to type your user name and password for the domain.
Once you are successfully joined to the domain, you will be prompted to restart the computer. You must restart your computer before the change take effect.

Note: If your computer was a member of a workgroup before you joined the domain, it will be removed from the workgroup.

Q5. How to find the domain your computer is on?
Ans: If your organization uses Active Directory domains to manage its network, you might need to know which domain a computer belongs to so that you can access other computers and resources on the network.
1. Open system by clicking the start button, clicking control panel, clicking system and maintenance, and then clicking system.
2. If your computer is connected to a domain, under computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, you will see the name of the domain your computer belongs to. If your computer is connected to a workgroup you will see the name of the workgroup your computer belongs to.
Q6. What types of operating system installation methods do you know?
Q7. What is an answer file?
Ans: Answer file is a text file that supplies Windows XP Professional Setup with information necessary during the installation process. In addition, an answer file tells Setup how to interact with the distribution shares and files that you have created (or the installation files on the operating system CD, if that is what you are using to install the product). It is a unattended installation technique.
An answer file contains multiple sections — some mandatory and some optional — that you can modify. Section names are delineated by brackets (for example, [Unattended]). Every section has one or more entries that contain installation and configuration information. Entries are delineated by an entry name, an equal sign, and a value (for example, ComputerName = Computer1). The entry name represents a specific computer setting or action; the value represents the unique way you want the setting configured or the action performed.

Q8. How would you create an answer file for Windows XP?
Windows Setup Manager provides a wizard-based interface that allows you to quickly create an answer file for an unattended installation of Windows XP Professional. You can create or modify an answer file, typically named unattend.txt, by using Windows Setup Manager. You can also create answer files with a simple text editor, such as Notepad, but using the Windows Setup Manager reduces errors in syntax.
To create an answer file for a fully automated installation by using Windows Setup Manager, use these steps:
1. In Windows Explorer, locate the folder where you extracted Windows Setup Manager (setupmgr.exe). Double-click setupmgr.exe.
Windows XP Professional starts the Windows Setup Manager Wizard.
2. Click Next.
The New Or Existing Answer File page appears.
3. Ensure that the Create A New Answer File is selected, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Product To Install page, which provides the following three options:
❑ Windows Unattended Installation
❑ Sysprep Install
❑ Remote Installation Services
4. Ensure that Windows Unattended Installation is selected, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Platform page.
5. Ensure that Windows XP Professional is selected, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the User Interaction Level page, shown in Figure 1, which has the following five options:
❑ Provide Defaults. The answers you provide in the answer file are the default answers that the user sees. The user can accept the default answers or change any of the answers supplied by the script.
❑ Fully Automated. The installation is fully automated. The user does not have the chance to review or change the answers supplied by the script.
❑ Hide Pages. The answers provided by the script are supplied during the installation. Any page for which the script supplies all answers is hidden from the user, so the user cannot review or change the answers supplied by the script.
❑ Read Only. The script provides the answers, and the user can view the answers on any page that is not hidden, but the user cannot change the answers.
❑ GUI Attended. The text-mode portion of the installation is automated, but the user must supply the answers for the graphical user interface (GUI) mode portion of the installation.

Figure 1 Select the level of user interaction you want.

6. Select Fully Automated, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Distribution Folder page. The Setup Manager Wizard can create a distribution folder on your computer or network containing the required source files. You can add files to this distribution folder to further customize your installation.
7. Select No, This Answer File Will Be Used To Install From A CD, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the License Agreement page.
8. Select I Accept The Terms Of The License Agreement, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Customize The Software page, shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Use the Customize The Software Page to provide details for the answer file that will be used during installation.

9. Type your name in the Name box and your organization in the Organization box, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Display Settings page.
10. Leave the default settings on the Display Settings page, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager displays the Time Zone page.
11. Select the appropriate time zone, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Providing The Product Key page.
12. Type in the appropriate product key.
13. Click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Computer Names page, shown in Figure 3. Notice that you have three choices:
❑ Enter a series of names to be used during the various iterations of the script.
❑ Click Import and provide the name of a text file that has one computer name per line listed. Setup imports and uses these names as the computer names in the various iterations of the script.
❑ Select Automatically Generate Computer Names Based On Organization Name to allow the system to automatically generate the computer names to be used.


Figure 3 Add the names of the computers that will use the installation.

14. In the Computer Name text box, type a name for the computer, and then click Add. Repeat this step to add additional computers to the installation.
15. Click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Administrator Password page, which appears with the following two options:
❑ Prompt The User For An Administrative Password
❑ Use The Following Administrative Password (127 Characters Maximum)
Notice that you have the option to encrypt the Administrator’s password in the answer file. You also have the option to have the Administrator log on automatically, and you can set the number of times you want the Administrator to log on automatically when the computer is restarted.
16. Ensure that Use The Following Administrative Password (127 Characters Maximum) is selected, and then type a password in the Password text box and the Confirm Password box.
17. Select Encrypt Administrator Password In Answer File, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Networking Components page, shown in Figure 4, with the following two options:
❑ Typical Settings. Installs Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), enables Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), installs the Client For Microsoft Networks protocol, and installs File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks for each destination computer
❑ Customize Settings. Allows you to select and configure the networking components to be installed

Figure 4 Choose network settings for the installation.

18. Configure network settings as appropriate for your network, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Workgroup Or Domain page.
19. If the computer will join a workgroup, type the workgroup name. If the computer will join a domain, click Windows Server Domain, and then type the name of the domain. If a computer that will join a domain does not already have a computer account in that domain, you can have Windows Setup create such an account during installation. Click Create A Computer Account In The Domain, and then enter the credentials for an account that has permission to create new computer accounts in the domain. Click Next to continue.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Telephony page.
20. Select the appropriate setting for What Country/Region Are You In.
21. Type the appropriate setting for What Area (Or City) Code Are You In.
22. If necessary, type the appropriate setting for If You Dial A Number To Access An Outside Line, What Is It.
23. Select the appropriate setting for The Phone System At This Location Uses, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Regional Settings page. The default selection is Use The Default Regional Settings For The Windows Version You Are Installing, but you can also specify different regional settings.
24. Configure the regional settings, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Languages page, which allows you to add support for additional languages.
25. Select additional languages if they are required for the computers on which you will install Windows XP Professional, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Browser And Shell Settings page with the following three options:
❑ Use Default Internet Explorer Settings
❑ Use An Auto-configuration Script Created By The Internet Explorer Administration Kit To Configure Your Browser
❑ Individually Specify Proxy And Default Home Page Settings
26. Make your selection, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Installation Folder page with the following three options:
❑ A Folder Named Windows. This is the default selection.
❑ A Uniquely Named Folder Generated By Setup. Setup generates a unique folder name so that the installation folder will be less obvious. This folder name is recorded in the Registry, so programs and program installations can easily access the Windows XP Professional system files and folders.
❑ This Folder. If you select this option, you must specify a path and folder name.
27. Make your selection, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Install Printers page, shown in Figure 5, which allows you to specify a network printer to be installed the first time a user logs on after Setup.

Figure 5 Specify printers to be installed during setup.

28. Add any printers that you want to configure during installation, and then click Next.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Run Once page. This page allows you to configure Windows to run one or more commands the first time a user logs on.
29. To add a command, type the command in the Command To Run text box, and then click Add. Click Next when you are finished adding commands.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Additional Commands page. This page allows you to specify additional commands to be run at the end of the unattended setup before any user logs on to the computer.
30. To add a command, type the command in the Command To Run text box, and then click Add. Click Finish when you are finished adding commands.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays a dialog box indicating that the Windows Setup Manager has successfully created an answer file. It also prompts you for a location and a name for the script. The default is a file named unattend.txt in the folder from which you launched Windows Setup Manager.

Note If multiple computer names were specified, the wizard also creates a .udb file.

31. Accept the default name and location, or type an alternate name and location.
Click OK to continue.
The Windows Setup Manager Wizard displays the Setup Manager Complete page, indicating that new files were created:
❑ unattend.txt is the answer file.
❑ unattend.udb is the uniqueness database file created if you supply multiple computer names.
❑ unattend.bat is a batch script that will launch the Windows installation using the answer file and uniqueness database file.
32. On the File menu, click Exit.

Q 9. How do you perform an unattended installation on Windows XP?
Ans:To perform an installation, you can use the unattend.bat file created by the Windows Setup Manager. This batch file simply uses the winnt32.exe command to start the installation, supplying parameters based on the location you saved the files to when you ran Windows Setup Manager. You can modify this batch file to suit your needs or simply
start Setup from the command line yourself (the most common way to start an unattended installation). To start Setup from the command line (or modify the batch file), you must use a specific parameter and indicate the location of the answer file.
To use the winnt.exe command from a Microsoft MS-DOS or Windows 3.x command prompt to perform a clean installation of Windows XP, you must use the following syntax:
winnt [/s:SourcePath] [/u:answer file] [/udf:ID [,UDB_file]]
To use the winnt32.exe command from a Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, or
Windows 2000 command prompt to perform a clean installation of Windows XP, you
must use the following syntax:
winnt32 [/unattend[num]:[answer_file] [/udf:ID [,UDB_file]]

Q.10 What is Sysprep?
Ans: The SYSPREP tool is used to prepare an image of a hard disk of a computer running a Windows operating system, so that it can be deployed to multiple destination computers. It prepares the computer by cleaning various user and machine settings and log files
The Sysprep utility can be used in three different contexts:
Disk duplication. Using Sysprep to prepare images for disk duplication allows you to copy fully installed systems onto similar hardware. Sysprep modifies the local computer Security ID (SID) so that it is unique to each computer.
1. Auditing. When you use Sysprep after auditing the computer (using the –nosidgen command–line option), Sysprep will be ready for the end user to run Windows.
2. Automating Mini–Setup. Sysprep creates a shortened GUI–mode Setup that takes five or six minutes instead of the usual 45 to 60 minutes, and it prompts the end user only for required user–specific information, such as accepting the EULA, entering the Product Key, and entering the user name and company name. To use Sysprep in this mode, preinstall Windows XP on the local computer, and then run Sysprep with the –nosidgen parameter, using the steps below.

Q 11. What is Registry?
Ans: The Registry is a database used to store settings and options for the 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows 95, 98, ME and NT/2000. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC. Whenever a user makes changes to a Control Panel settings, or File Associations, System Policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the Registry.
The registry contains two basic elements: keys and values.

Registry Keys are similar to folders - in addition to values, each key can contain subkeys, which may contain further subkeys, and so on. Registry Values are name/data pairs stored within keys. Values are referenced separately from keys. Value names can contain backslashes but doing so makes them difficult to distinguish from their key paths.
There are six main branches, each containing a specific portion of the information stored in the Registry. They are as follows:
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - This branch contains all of your file association mappings to support the drag-and-drop feature, OLE information, Windows shortcuts, and core aspects of the Windows user interface.
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER - This branch links to the section of HKEY_USERS appropriate for the user currently logged onto the PC and contains information such as logon names, desktop settings, and Start menu settings.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - This branch contains computer specific information about the type of hardware, software, and other preferences on a given PC, this information is used for all users who log onto this computer.
• HKEY_USERS - This branch contains individual preferences for each user of the computer, each user is represented by a SID sub-key located under the main branch.
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG - This branch links to the section of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE appropriate for the current hardware configuration.
• HKEY_DYN_DATA - This branch points to the part of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, for use with the Plug-&-Play features of Windows, this section is dynamic and will change as devices are added and removed from the system.

Q 12. How can you edit the Registry? Name at least 3 ways of doing that.
Ans:


Q 13. What is a pagefile?
Ans: In storage, a pagefile is a reserved portion of a hard disk that is used as an extension of random access memory (RAM) for data in RAM that hasn't been used recently. A pagefile can be read from the hard disk as one contiguous chunk of data and thus faster than re-reading data from many different original locations. Windows NT administrators or users can reset the system-provided default size value of the pagefile to meet their particular needs.

Q 14. What is the major function of the pagefile.sys file?
Ans:

Q 15. What is hiberfil.sys file?
Ans: HIBERFIL.SYS is a file the system creates when the computer goes into hibernation mode. Windows uses the file when it is turned back on. If you don't need hibernation mode and want to delete the file you need to turn the hibernation option off before Windows will allow you to delete the file. The procedure for turning hibernation off differs markedly between Windows XP and Vista. The file size depends largely on the size of active RAM in the computer as the contents of the file are basically a RAM image.
1. Procedure for Windows XP. This procedure makes use of the graphical user interface.
• Start Control Panel Power Options
• Go to the Hibernate Tab.
• Uncheck the Enable Hibernation box if you don't need the hibernation function.
• The file should now be able to be deleted.

Q16. What is the function of hiberfil.sys file?
Ans:

Q 17. What is a NIC (Network Interface Card)?
Ans: A network interface card is used to connect a computer to an Ethernet network. The card (shown in the figure below) provides an interface to the media. Networked computers communicate with each other using a given protocol or agreed-upon language for transmitting data packets between the different machines, known as nodes. Network interface cards provide a dedicated, full-time connection to a network.

The most common language or protocol for LANs is Ethernet, sometimes referred to as IEEE 802.3. A lesser-used protocol is Token Ring. When building a LAN, a network interface card must be installed in each computer on the network and all NICs in the network must be of the same architecture. For example, all must either be Ethernet cards, Token Ring cards, or an alternate technology.

An Ethernet network interface card is installed in an available slot inside the computer. The NIC assigns a unique address called a MAC (media access control) to the machine. The MACs on the network are used to direct traffic between the computers. The back plate of the network interface card features a port that looks similar to a phone jack, but is slightly larger. This port accommodates an Ethernet cable, which resembles a thicker version of a standard telephone line. Ethernet cable must run from each network interface card to a central hub or switch. The hub or switch acts like a relay, passing information between computers using the MAC addresses and allowing resources like printers and scanners to be shared along with data.

Q 18. What is a MAC Address?
Ans: MAC Address:
The MAC Address is a unique number associated with a network adapter. Mac Addresses are also known as hardware addresses or physical addresses. They uniquely identify an adapter on a LAN.

MAC addresses are 12-digit hexadecimal numbers (48-bits in length) . By convention, MAC addresses are written in one of the following form:

MM: MM: MM: SS: SS: SS
MM-MM-MM-SS-SS-SS

The first half of the MAC addresses are contains the ID number of the adapter manufacturer. These IDs are regulated by an Internet Standard body’s. The second half of the MAC addresses are represents the serial number assigned to the adapter by adapter manufacturer. In the example:
00: A0:C9:14:C8:29

The prefix
00A0C9
indicates the manufacturer in Intel corporation.

The MAC address is used by the Media Access Control sub-layer of the Data-Link Layer (DLC) of telecommunication protocols.
A MAC address is an address which exists on Layer 2 of the OSI Model.

Q 19. How to find MAC Address?
Ans: Run ipconfig/all from a Command Prompt window.
(click Start, then Run, then type cmd in the text box.)
Type in ipconfig/all in the Command Prompt Windows.
The 12-digit Physical Address is the same as MAC address

Q 20. What is a cross cable? When would you use a crosslink cable?
Ans: Cross Cable: An Ethernet crossover cable is a type of Ethernet cable used to connect computing devices together directly where they would normally be connected via a network switch, hub or router, such as directly connecting two personal computers via their network adapters.
The pinouts for an Ethernet crossover cable are as follows:
Connector 1Pinout
Connector 2Pinout

1
3


2
6


3
1


4
OPEN


5
OPEN


6
2


7
OPEN


8
OPEN


So pin 1 -> pin 3, pin 2 -> pin 6, pin 3 -> pin 1, and pin 6 -> pin 2. All of the other pins are left open.

You would use a straight through cable for most applications, for instance at a work area and to connect components to switches. Crossover cables are typically used to connect uplink ports.

Computer to computer ==> cross Switch/hub to switch/hub ==>cross Computer to switch/hub ==>standard

Q 21. What is a coaxial cable?
Ans: A coaxial cable consist of a stiff copper wire as core surrounded by an insulating material. The insulator is encased by a cylindrical conductor. The outer conductor is covered by a protective plastic sheath. The signal is transmitted by the inner copper wire and is eclectically shielded by the outer metal sleeve. It can be used both analog and digital transmission. It is expensive as compare to fiber optic cable and easy to handle.

Coaxial cables are mainly used for carrying television signals (for example, CATV), but some older computer networks based on the 10Base2 standard also utilized these cables for connecting workstations and other network devices. Usually the coaxial cables used for different purposes have different characteristics; cables for one purpose cannot be used for another. For example, the cable used for CATV cannot be used for computer networks.

Q 22. What is the advantage of coaxial cable?
Ans: Advantages of Coaxial Cable:
(i) It has better shielded against electromagnetic interference than twisted-pair cable, so it can span longer distance at higher data bps.
(ii) It can be used for both analog and digital data transmissions.
(iii) Coaxial cable has higher bandwidth and excellent noise immunity.
(iv) It is inexpensive as compared to fiber optic cable and easy to handle.

Q 23. What is a fiber optic cable?
Ans: Fiber optic (also called Optical Fiber) cable is made up of very thin glass or plastic stretched out and put inside a sheath. The transmission in fiber optic cables is based on the transport of light signals. An optical transmitter is located at one side of the cable and a receiver is at the other side. Fiber optic cables are immune to EMI and RF disturbances because they depend on optical signals unlike electrical signals in UTP/STP cables. They can also carry data signals longer distances than do UTP or STP cables due to minimal attenuation. It is also considered the most secure of all cable types.

Fiber optic cables are very expensive in terms of the cost involved in installation and maintenance. It needs expensive hardware, skilled technicians, and special tools for installation. This is the reason that fiber optic cable is used only in data centers for providing high-end connections to critical servers and other network devices where high-speed data transfers are required.

Q 24. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of Fiber-Optic-based networks?
Ans:
High data rate and wide bandwidth
Immunity to EMI/RFI and lightning damage
No ground loops
Low attenuation (data loss)
Longer distance - 2 and 5 km with Multimode fiber or over 25 km with Single Mode fiber
Small cable diameter fits anywhere
Light weight
No sparks if cut
No shock hazard
Secure communications
Low system cost
Longer life expectancy than copper or coaxial cable
Cabling of the future
SPEED: Fiber optic networks operate at high speeds - up into the gigabitsBANDWIDTH: large carrying capacityDISTANCE: Signals can be transmitted further without needing to be "refreshed" or strengthened.RESISTANCE: Greater resistance to electromagnetic noise such as radios, motors or other nearby cables.MAINTENANCE: Fiber optic cables costs much less to maintain.

Q 25. What are the most common uses of fiber optic cables?
Ans: In addition to communications, optical fibers are beginning to be used in medical procedures, automobiles, and aircraft and are expected to have many other applications.

Q 26. What is the difference between a Hub and a Switch?
Ans: HUB works on Physical layer where as SWITCH works on data link layer, HUB based networks are on one collision domain where as in Switch based network switch divides networks into multiple collision domains. Switch also maintains MAC address tables.
Adhura hai

Q 27. On which OSI layer can a router be found?
Ans: physical layer

Q 28. What is CSMA/CD?
Ans: CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection) is the protocol used in Ethernet networks to ensure that only one network node is transmitting on the network wire at any one time.
CSMA/CD is specified in the IEEE 802.3 standard

Q 29. What is collision detection?
Ans: Collision Detection means that when multiple Ethernet devices accidentally transmit at the same time, they are able to detect this error.

Q 30. How Collisions Occur under CSMA/CD
Imagine a very simple Ethernet network with only two nodes.
Each node, independently, decides to send an Ethernet frame to the other node.
Both nodes listen to the Ethernet wire and sense that no carrier is present.
Both nodes transmit simultaneously, causing a collision.
Both nodes detect the collision and each node waits a random amount of time before transmitting again.
Collisions are normal on an Ethernet network. A small amount of collisions are expected in the protocol design.
If too many nodes are transmitting on an Ethernet network the number of collisions can rise to an unacceptable level. This can reduce the amount of available bandwidth on an Ethernet network because so much bandwidth is lost in retransmission.
Ethernet switches greatly reduce the already minor difficulties experienced with the CSMA/CD protocol.

Q 31. What is multicast?
Ans: Multicast is communication between a single sender and multiple receivers on a network. Multicast is supported through wireless data networks as part of the Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) technology.

Multicast is also used for programming on the MBone, a system that allows users at high-bandwidth points on the Internet to receive live video and sound programming. Together with anycast and unicast, multicast is one of the packet types in the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6).

Q 32. What is a Broadcast?
Ans:

Q33. What is a Broadcast Address?
Ans: In computer networking, a broadcast address is a network address that allows information to be sent to all nodes on a network, rather than to a specific network host. In other word’s A special type of networking address that is reserved for sending messages to all machines on a given network segment. Generally, a broadcast address is a MAC destination address of all F's.

Q 34. What is the difference between TCP and UDP
Ans:

Q 35. What are TCP Ports? Name a few.
Ans:

Q 36. What is a TCP Session?
Ans: The layer that establishes ,manages and terminates the session between two communticating devices

Q 37. What is ICMP?
Ans: ICMP works at the Network layer to provide error checking and reporting functions. It is a connection-less protocol and uses IP for providing best-effort delivery. It is used in network management and maintenance systems. For example, ping is a troubleshooting utility that uses the ICMP protocol.

Q 38. What is ping command?
Ans: The ping utility is used to test connectivity between two TCP/IP hosts. Like the tracert utility, it also uses ICMP echo requests to the destination host. This utility is a part of the TCP/IP protocol suite and is installed by default on all TCP/IP devices. Ping can quickly determine whether the host is connected or not and how long it takes for the request to take the roundtrip. Aside from testing connectivity, the ping command can also be used to test whether the name resolution is working.

Q 39. When would you use the ping command with the “-t” switch?
Ans: This parameter forces the ping command to continue sending echo messages until manually stopped.

Q 40. What command-line tool would help you discover for which port numbers your computer is listening?
Ans: Running netstat -a display all ports that are listening on a machine at the time the command is run.

Q 41. What is APIPA? How would you recognize it?
Ans: In case DHCP server not ip addressing provide so this situation by APIPA ip address provide from clients side It range the IP address 169.254.0.1 to 169.255.254 in this case the client which broadcast mass anger at first time will take specific IP from APIPA after this it always connect every five minutes to any Dynamic host configuration protocol server

Q 42. What is 255.255.255.255 used for?
Ans: This is the special network of 255.255.255.255, and is used for broadcasting messages to the entire network that your computer resides on.

Q 43. What is CRC?
Ans: Cyclic redundancy checking is a method of checking for errors in data that has been transmitted on a communications link. A sending device applies a 16- or 32-bit polynomial to a block of data that is to be transmitted and appends the resulting cyclic redundancy code (CRC) to the block. The receiving end applies the same polynomial to the data and compares its result with the result appended by the sender. If they agree, the data has been received successfully. If not, the sender can be notified to resend the block of data.

Q 44. What is an IP Address?
Ans: A 32-bit address used to identify a node on an Internet Protocol (IP) inter-network. Each node on the IP inter-network must be assigned a unique IP address, which is made up of the network ID plus a unique host ID. This address is typically represented with the decimal value of each octet separated by a period (for example, 192.168.7.23). In Windows XP Professional, the IP addresses can be configured manually, or if you have a computer running Windows 2000 Server and DHCP, the IP addresses can be configured dynamically. See also Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

Q 45. What is the use of IP Address?
Ans: IP address is used to uniquely identify each host in a network. IP address is needed in order to communicate with other hosts in the network using the TCP/IP suite of protocols.

Q 46. What is the difference between a host name and an IP address?
Ans: A host name is used to identify a host by human beings and higher level user applications. But IP protocol uses only IP addresses to identify a host in the network. A host-name is provided just as a convenience for users of the network and higher level applications.

Q 47. How a host name is resolved to the corresponding IP address?
Ans: A host name is resolved to the corresponding IP address either from a configuration file stored in the local machine or using a network protocol like DNS or WINS from a server in the network.

Q 48. What is the size of an IP address?
Ans: The size of an IP address is 32 bits (4 bytes).

Q 49. What are the components of an IP address?
Ans: A IP address consists of the following components: Network ID and Host ID. For example, in the IP address 192.9.205.21, the network ID is 192.9.205 and the host ID is 21.

Q 50. What is a network ID?
Ans: A network ID uniquely identifies a network. All the hosts in a single network will have the same network ID. For example, in the IP address 192.9.205.21, the network ID is 192.9.205. A router analyses only the network ID portion of an IP address for datagram forwarding.

Q 51. What is a host ID?
Ans: A host ID uniquely identifies a host in a network. Two hosts in two different networks can have the same host ID. For example, in the IP address 192.9.205.21, the host ID is 21.

Q 52. What is a unicast IP address?
Ans: A unicast IP address is an IP address uniquely identifying a host in a network. The datagram with a unicast IP address is received and processed by only a single host. For example, the IP address 192.9.205.21 is a unicast IP address.

Q 53. What is a multicast IP address?
Ans: A multicast address is an IP address identifying a particular group of hosts in network. This group of hosts is called a multicast group. For example, the IP address 225.2.100.1 is a multicast IP address.

Q 54. What is a broadcast IP address?
Ans: The datagram with a broadcast IP address is received and processed by all the hosts in the local network. For example, the IP addresses 255.255.255.255, 192.9.205.255, 180.10.255.255, 10.255.255.255 are broadcast IP addresses.

Q 55. How IP addresses are classified?
Ans: IP addresses are classified based on the number of bytes allocated to the Network ID and the Host ID in an IP address

Q 56. What is the use of classifying IP addresses?
Ans: IP addresses are classified so that networks and hosts can be easily managed.

Q57. What are the different classes of IP addresses?
Ans: IP addresses are classified into the following classes:
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E

Q 58. How to determine the class of an IP address?
Ans: The class of an IP address can be determined from the first four bits of the first byte of the IP address.

Display

Q1. I changed my monitor's color settings and can't see anything now. What should I do?
Ans: So you decided to change your display settings and now you can't see anything on the screen anymore. Don't worry, it happens to lots of people.If you are using Windows, you can get your screen back by booting up in Safe Mode. Just hold down the F8 key while the computer is booting up and select "Safe Mode" from the list of boot options. The number of colors will be limited in safe mode, allowing you to see the display correctly. After successfully booting into Safe Mode, you should be able to restart your machine like usual.

If you are using Mac OS 9, hold down the Shift key while starting up and all Extensions will be turned off. This should help you avoid any display problems.Mac OS X users fortunately do not have to worry about this problem, since the Displays System Preference only allows you to choose supported resolutions and color settings.

Q2. Why is monitor's screen blank when I start up my computer?
Ans:First, check if the monitor plugged in to a power outlet and is connected to the computer securely. Some monitors won't function even if the connection is slightly loose. If the monitor is connected correctly, make sure that the power button is on. If the power light is not glowing, the outlet may not be providing power to the monitor or the monitor may have a dead power supply.

If the power light is on and nothing comes up on the screen when you start your computer, it is possible you have a bad video card. Test the monitor on another computer to see if the display works with another video card. If it does, try starting up your computer in safe mode by holding down the F8 key as the computer boots up. This should solve any screen resolution or color setting conflicts that may prevent your monitor from displaying an image.

If the monitor is still blank when you start up in safe mode, you should open your computer (after unplugging it) and check to make sure your video card is seeded properly in the motherboard. If the video card is properly connected and the display still does not work, you will probably have to replace the video card in your computer. While high-end video cards can cost $500 or more, you can get a decent video card for about $100. Check you computer's manual to see if your computer uses a PCI or AGP video card before buying a new one.

If the monitor didn't work even when you connected it up to another machine, the monitor has probably gone bad. Check the cable to make sure it is not broken or frayed anywhere. Then make sure the pins on the connector aren't broken or bent either, as even one bad pin can cause the video connection to fail. If you have a CRT monitor, do not attempt to open the monitor, as it may store an electric charge powerful enough to electrocute you. Even if you have a flat-screen display, do not attempt to repair it yourself, as it does not have any user-serviceable parts. Instead, take the monitor in to your local computer repair shop and have them repair or replace it for you.

Q3. How can I connect my computer to a TV or television screen?
Ans: In order to connect your computer to a television set, you need the correct video output hardware on your computer. This can be composite video (a yellow RCA jack), S-video (a black 4-pin connection), or on newer models, a DVI port. These connections are usually found on the video card on the back of the computer, though some multimedia PCs have the ports on the front. If your computer does not have any of these ports, you will not be able to connect your computer to your TV unless you buy a multimedia video card.

If you do have a composite, S-video, or DVI connection on your computer, you are in luck. Most TVs have composite input, which uses a yellow connection for video, and a white and red connection for the left and right audio signal. Just connect the three cables from the computer to the TV, and you are set to go. S-video works the same way, but takes the place of the yellow cable in a composite connection. DVI is the highest quality connection, but will only work if your TV has a DVI input. Like S-video, you will need to connect the red and white audio cables as well if you want audio to come from the television.

Once you have connected your PC to the TV, you can use the Display Control Panel in Windows to activate the output to the television. You can either "mirror" the display of the computer on the TV, or you can "extend the desktop" onto the television and have two separate displays. If you are using a Macintosh, open the Displays System Preference for the same options.

Q4. Why does my monitor display a "Sync. Out of Range" error message?

Ans: This happens when your screen resolution is set to something higher than what your monitor can display. For example, if your monitor supports resolutions of up to 1024x768 and your video card allows you to crank it up to 1600x1200, doing so will give you an error. Another reason you might get the error is if the refresh rate you selected a certain resolution is higher than what your monitor supports. The monitor can't "sync" with the video card, so it just gives you that "Out of Range" error. If you are sure you have your resolution set at a reasonable amount, make sure that your monitor is plugged in all the way. Actually, if you're like me, that might be the first thing to check. =)

If you are using Windows, hold down the F8 key while the computer is starting up and choose "Safe Mode" from the list of options that appears on the screen. This should force the display to be a low enough resolution so that it will work. On a Mac, hold down the Shift key while booting up to start with extensions off, and that will usually do the trick.

Q5. How many monitors can I hook up to my desktop computer?
Ans: For a desktop computer, if you're using a Mac or running Windows 98 or later, you can hook up as many monitors as you have video cards. Basically, you need a separate connection for each monitor. So if you had 3 PCI slots open, you could add three video cards and three monitors, allowing you to have four total screens. Some video cards have connections for multiple monitors, which would allow you to connect even more displays to your computer. (These cards usually support 2 or 4 monitors apiece.) I've heard of a Mac that ran 14 displays at one time, which is just ridiculous, but nonetheless, cool.

Q6. Why is the picture on my monitor fuzzy?
Ans: First of all, check to make sure there aren't any unshielded speakers or halogen lights near your monitor. These can really make your monitor do weird things. A television, audio receiver, or other electronics equipment nearby can also cause interference with your monitor because of the frequency of the signals they use. If there is nothing creating interference with the monitor, check the cable connections and make sure they are nice and tight. Also, try and get your wires as untangled as possible.

If none of these things seem to be the problem, your monitor settings may have been reset and you may have to make some adjustments using the control knob or buttons on the front of your monitor. The things you may need to adjust are your color settings, the convergence, and the moire settings. See your monitor's manual to see how to adjust these options.Finally, if you monitor still won't show a clear picture, something may have gone wrong inside it.
Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to fix a bad monitor other than take it in to the shop. Before you do that though, see if you can hook the monitor up to another computer. This will help you determine if the problem is with the computer's video card and not the monitor.

Remember: Never open a monitor and try to fix it, as the electric charge stored inside it can be extremely high and very dangerous.

Q7. If I hook up two monitors to my computer, can two people work on the system at the same time?
Ans: Adding a second display to your computer is a great way increase your "screen real estate," or how much screen space you have to work with. If you have two monitors, you can use one display for Web browsing and another for e-mail. With a program like Photoshop, you can place all the palettes in one screen and use the other display for your main work space.

However, adding another screen does not enable two people to work on a single computer at the same time. Even if you connect two mice and two keyboards to the computer, the computer will not split up the input. Therefore, if one person moves her mouse to the right and the other person moves his mouse downward, the cursor on the screen will move towards the lower-right corner.

Working with two displays can help a single user be more productive, but will not allow two users to work independently on the same machine. The only way for two users to work simultaneously is to have to computers.

Q8. Can I hook up two computers to one display or monitor?
Ans: You sure can. All you need is a KVM switch, which allows you to choose what computer is using the screen. You can have two PCs, a laptop and a PC, or even a Mac and a PC hooked up to the same display. Some KVM switches only switch the monitor input, while others allow you to switch the input for the keyboard and mouse as well. This means you can use the same screen, keyboard, and mouse for two different computers.

When buying a KVM switch, make sure it supports your monitor type (VGA, DVI, etc.) as well as the keyboard and mouse ports that your hardware uses (typically USB or serial). It is also smart to buy a KVM switch that comes with the necessary cables, since buying them separately can be surprisingly expensive. You can purchase KVM switches at stores like CompUSA, MicroCenter, Best Buy or from several online computer retailers.

Q9. How to find IP address of your connection?
Ans: Go to start/run type 'cmd' then type 'ipconfig' Add the '/all' switch for more info.

Q10. How to verify connection to remote computer?
Ans: Ping tool verifies connections to remote computers example: In cmd type c:>ping 192.168.0.1 -t -t Ping the specified host until interrupted -a Resolve addresses to hostnames

Q11. How to find a path on the network from your PC that is running load test script to web server?

Ans: Use Tracert Utility runs at the Command prompt. It will trace a path from you to the URL or IP address given along with the tracert command. Tracert determines the route taken to a destination by sending ICMP echo packets..

Q12. How to find what ports are open on your system?
Ans: In cmd type c:>netstat This command gives you a generic look at what ports are open on your system

Q13. What TCP/IP Settings are used on computer?
Ans: Description of TCP/IP Settings that are used in network troubleshooting 1. IP Address 2. Subnet Mask 3. Default Gateway 4. DHCP Server 5. DNS Servers

Q14. How to find a network configuration of your PC?
Ans: In cmd type c:> net config workstation the result displays a list of configurable services: computer name,user name, logon domain, domain DNS name.

Q15. How to find what program used as default for opening file .xyz .
Ans: In cmd type C:> assoc .xyz which program will open that .xyz file

Q16. How to change settings in command prompt?
Ans: The first thing you'll want to do is Start, Run, cmd.exe, then right click the window menu and choose properties. Try the following values for improvement: Options Command History Buffer Size 400 Options Command History Discard Old Duplicates True Options Edit Options Quick Edit Mode True Layout Screen buffer size Height 900 Layout Window size Height 40

Q17. How to start DirectX Diagnostic Tool ?
Ans: To start the DirectX Diagnostic Tool: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type dxdiag, and then click OK.

Q18. What do you need to do that your browser will point URL www.YourTest.com to the internal IP address 127.99.11.01?
Ans: Make changes in the hosts file in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc The Hosts file is looked at first before going out to the DNS (Domain Name Service) servers. you have to put the following on new lines at the end of hosts file: 127.99.11.01 YourTest.com 127.99.11.01 http://www.yourtest.com/

Q19. What can you suggest to enhance testing process on windows OS?
Ans: Put shortcut to notepad.exe in Send To folder. It is speed up work with different files like hosts, configuration files.

Q20. What is an Object Server?
Ans: With an object server, the Client/Server application is written as a set of communicating objects. Client object communicate with server objects using an Object Request Broker (ORB). The client invokes a method on a remote object. The ORB locates an instance of that object server class, invokes the requested method and returns the results to the client object. Server objects must provide support for concurrency and sharing. The ORB brings it all together.

Q21. What is a Transaction Server?
Ans: With a transaction server, the client invokes remote procedures that reside on the server with an SQL database engine. These remote procedures on the server execute a group of SQL statements. The network exchange consists of a single request/reply message. The SQL statements either all succeed or fail as a unit.

Q22. What is a Database Server?
Ans:



Q23. What is the most typical functional units of the client/server applications?
Ans: User interfaceBusiness Logic andShared data.

Q24. What is Windows Image Acquisition(WIA) Architecture?
Ans: Windows Image Acquisition is designed to manages between the image capture device( such as digital camera or image scanner) and the computer’s software applications. This allows still images to be easily transferred and edited. There is also support for Microsoft Direct Show web cams and digital video camcorders so you can capture frames from video streams.

Q25. How you can connecting WIA Devices?
Ans: You can connect capture devices to Windows XP Professional with WIA technology through the following:
IEEE 1394
Universal Serial Bus(USB)
Small Computer System Interface(SCSI)

If you connect your image device through a standard COM port or through infrared, then support would be based on existing standard.

Q26. Write down the component of WIA?
Ans: WIA is made up of several software components. They include the following:
Scanner and Camera Wizard
Extensions to the Windows Explorer User Interface(UI)
WIA applications
Imaging Class Installer
WIA scripting interface
Common system dialog devices
Device objects
WIA Device Manager

Q27. Why we can used Scanner and Camera Wizard?
Ans: The Scanner and camera wizard is used to retrieve images from WIA-enabled devices. The wizard allows you to preview and view picture properties. The wizard is launched the following activities:
Connect events, which occur when a plug and play image device that uses the WIA standard is connected
Scan events, which are activated when WIA-enabled scanners are used
Media-insertion events, which are triggered by inserting flash memory cards or CD-ROMs, which contain image files




Q28. What do mean by MMC?
Ans: The MMC is the consol framework for management applications. The MMC provides a common environment for snap-ins, which are administrative tools developed by Microsoft or third-party vendors. The MMC offers many benefits, including the following:
The MMC is highly customizable Snap-in use a standard, intuitive interface, so they are easier to use than previous versions of administrative utilities.
MMC consoles can be saved and shared with other administrator
Most snap-in can be used for remote computer management

Q29. What is the different kinds of Windows Managements Utilities?
Ans: The Windows Management Utilities are the following:
MMC
Registry Editors
Device Manager

Q30. Describe the Device Manager?
Ans: Device manager displays information about the hardware that is installed in your computer and how it is configured. You can use the device manager to ensure that all devices are working properly, configure your devices, and troubleshoot device problems. Device Manager include the following :
Viewing a list of all hardware that is installed in your computer
Determining which device driver is installed for each device
Updating device drivers
Changing hardware settings
Disabling, enabling, and uninstalling devices
Using driver rollback to a previous version of a driver
Troubleshooting device problems
Printing a summary of all devices that are installed on your computer

Q31. What is Device Driver?
Ans: A device driver is software that allows a specific piece of hardware to communicate with the Windows XP OS.

Q32. What is Removable Media?
Ans: In computer storage, removable media refers to storage media which is designed to be removed from the computer without powering the computer off. Removable media are devices such as tape devices and Zip devices. Removable media can also be managed by device manager. Removable media are listed under Disk Drives in device manager.

Q33. What is video adapter?
Ans: Also known as a graphics card, video card, video board, or a video controller, a video adapter is an internal circuit board that allows a display device such as a monitor to display a picture from the computer. Today video cards are most commonly connected to the AGP slot or PCIe slot on the motherboard, however, can also be found on-board or in a PCI slot.

Q34. Describe the USB?
Ans: Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an external bus standard that allows you to connect USB devices through a USB port using a USB cable. USB supports transfer rates up to 12 Mbps. A single USB port can support up to 127 devices such as In computer storage, removable media refers to storage media which is designed to be removed from the computer without powering the computer off.

Q35. What is hardware profile?
Ans: A hardware profile contains all of the settings for a computer. Hardware profiles are useful when a single computer has multiple hardware configurations.

Hardware profile, which are set by a systems administrator, describe which pieces of hardware are enabled or disabled when a system is booted under a given profile.

Q36. What do you mean by profile?
Ans: User profiles include all user-specific settings of a user's Windows 2000 Professional environment, including program items, screen colors, network connections, printer connections, mouse settings, window size and position, and desktop preferences.

User profiles provide several advantages to users. For example, when users log on to their workstations, they receive the desktop settings as they existed when they logged off. Also, when several users log on to the same computer, each receives a customized desktop.

Q37. Describe the different kinds of profiles?
Ans: There are three types of user profiles, which are as follows:
Local User Profile: This profile is automatically created the first time a user logs on to the computer, and it is stored on the computer's local hard drive. Any changes made to the local user profile are specific to the computer where the change was made.
Roaming user profile: Such type of profile is created by administrator and stored on a server. This profile is available every time you log on to any computer on the network. Incase some changes are made to profile then profile on server is automatically updated.
Mandatory User Profile: Mandatory user profiles are stored on a network server and are downloaded each time the user logs on. This profile does not update when the user logs off. It is useful for situations where consistent or job-specific settings are needed Only administrators can make changes to mandatory user profiles. If the mandatory user profile is unavailable, the user cannot log on.
Temporary user profile: Such type of profile is used as backup. If the roaming or mandatory profile is not available for some reason, a temporary user profile is automatically created for the user. The temporary profile is deleted when the user log out. so any changes that the user makes while using a temporary profile are lost at the end of the session.

Q38. What is File System?
Ans: In computing, a file system (often also written as filesystem) is a method for storing and organizing computer files and the data they contain to make it easy to find and access them. File systems may use a data storage device such as a hard disk or CD-ROM and involve maintaining the physical location of the files.

Q39. Describe the different kinds of file system?
Ans: Types of file system:
FAT
The File Allocation Table (FAT) was implemented in DOS operating systems. Its main characteristics include:
• Supports only 8-character filenames with a 3-character extension, known as 8.3 file format.
• No spaces are allowed in filenames.
• The maximum partition size is 2 GB in Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME. In Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, the maximum supported FAT partition size is 4 GB.

FAT32
FAT32 is an improved version of FAT and is supported in Windows 95 (OSR2) and later operating systems. Windows XP, Windows ME, and Windows 95 OSR2 also support the FAT32 file system. Main characteristics of FAT32 include:
• More reliable storage than FAT.
• Not compatible with FAT.
• Uses smaller disk cluster sizes to prevent wasting disk space.
• Support for long filenames of up to 255 characters.
• Extended disk partition size of up to 2 TB (Terabytes) or 2048 GB.

NTFS
NTFS is the preferred file system for Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, and Windows NT operating systems. Some of the benefits of using NTFS are as follows:
• It supports long file names of up to 255 characters.
• It supports disk sizes of up to 16 EB (Exabytes).
• It supports file- and folder-level security.
• NTFS Encrypting File System (EFS) secures files and folders from unauthorized access.
• It supports Disk Quotas to limit the use of disk space on a per-user basis.
• It supports files larger than 4 GB in size.
• It provides file compression to save disk space.
• It supports Dynamic disks to efficiently use and manage disks and partitions.

CDFS
CDFS stands for Compact Disk File System, which is used on compact disks (CDs).


UDF
UDF stands for Universal Disk Format, which is used on digital versatile disks DVDs).

Q40. How you can convert file system?
Ans: File system conversion is the process of converting one file system into another file system without the loss of data. In windows XP, you can convert FAT 16 and FAT 32 partition to NTFS. To convert a partition, you use the convert command-line utility. The syntax is
Convert [drive:] /fs:ntfs

Note: If you format a drive as another file system, as apposed to converting that drive, all the data on that drive will be lost.

Q41. What is Disk Storage?
Ans: Disk storage or Disc storage is a general category of a computer storage mechanisms, in which data is recorded on planar, round and rotating surfaces (disks, discs, or platters). A disk drive is a peripheral device used to record and retrieve information. Main implementations are hard disks, floppy disks and optical discs. Nowadays the term disk storage almost exclusively refers to hard disk storage.

Q 42. Describe the Basic Disk Storage?
Ans: Basic storage uses normal partition tables supported by MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Windows XP. A disk initialized for basic storage is called a basic disk. A basic disk contains basic volumes, such as primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives. The first partition that is created on a hard drive is called a primary partion and is usually represented as drive C:.

Q43. Describe the Primary Partition?
Ans: Primary Partition
Each Basic disk can have up to four primary partitions, or three primary and one extended partition. One of the primary partitions is marked as the Active Partition and is used to boot the system. There can be only one active partition on a computer. The primary partition is formatted using one of the file systems: FAT, FAT32, or NTFS.

Q44. Describe the Extended Partition?
Ans: Extended Partition
An Extended Partition is created on unallocated space on the hard disk. You then create logical drives on this partition and assign them drive letters. Extended Partitions cannot be formatted with any file system, and they cannot be assigned drive letters.





Q45. Describe the Logical Drive?
Ans: Logical Partition
Logical Partitions are created inside the Extended Partitions. Logical drives cannot be marked as active and cannot be used to boot the system. These partitions are used to organize files and folders on the hard disk.

Q46. Describe the Dynamic Disk Storage?
Ans: Dynamic storage is supported in Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional. Dynamic disks are the disks that are specifically converted from Basic disks using the Disk Management utility. Dynamic disks treat the entire disk as a single partition and you can create volumes on the disk to organize your files and folders. Dynamic volumes can be extended on single or multiple Dynamic disks and offer fault tolerance features.

Q47. What is Simple Volume?
Ans: Simple volume
A Simple volume contains space from all or part of a single Dynamic disk. They are similar to a partition on a Basic disk.

Q47. What is Stripped Volume?
Ans: Striped volume
A Striped volume combines space from 2 to 32 Dynamic disks to make a single Dynamic volume. Data is stored on Spanned volumes in stripes (chunks of 64 KB) on each disk in turns so that each disk has an equal amount of disk space. Striped volumes cannot be extended and are not faulttolerant. If one of the disks in a Striped volume fails, all data is lost.

Q48. What is Spanned Volume?
Ans: Spanned volume
A Spanned volume contains space from a single or multiple Dynamic disks. You can add unallocated space from 2 to 32 Dynamic disks to create a large Spanned volume. Each disk can be of any size.

Q49. How to convert basic disk to dynamic disk?
Ans: Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
Use the Disk Management snap-in in Windows XP to convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk. To do this, follow these steps:
Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
In the left pane, click Disk Management.
In the lower-right pane, right-click the basic disk that you want to convert, and then click Convert to Dynamic Disk. NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 0.
Select the check box that is next to the disk that you want to convert (if it is not already selected), and then click OK.
Click Details if you want to view the list of volumes in the disk.
Click Convert.
Click Yes when you are prompted to convert the disk, and then click OK.

WARNING: After you convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk, local access to the dynamic disk is limited to Windows 2000, Windows 2003 and Windows XP Professional. Additionally, after you convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk, the dynamic volumes cannot be changed back to partitions. You must first delete all dynamic volumes on the disk and then convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, you must first back up the data or move it to another volume.

Q50. What is Disk Management Utility?
Ans: Disk Management Utility is a graphical tool for managing disks and volumes within the Windows environment. The disk management utility opening window shows the following information:
The volumes that are recognized by the computer
The type of disk, either basic or dynamic
The type of file system used by each partition
The status of the partition and whether the partition contains the system or boot partition
The capacity allocated to the partition
The amount of free space remaining on the partition
The amount of overhead associated with the partition

Q51. How to access the Disk Management Utility?
Ans: There are a few different ways to access Disk Management. I'll list three different methods so choose whichever is more convenient.
Method 1 - Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools. Double click Computer Management and then click Disk Management in the left hand column.
Method 2 - By default, Administrative Tools is not shown on the Start Menu but if you have modified the Start Menu (by right clicking the Start button and selecting Properties > Customize) so it is shown then just select Start > Administrative Tools > Computer Management and then click Disk Management in the left hand column.
Method 3 - Click Start > Run and type diskmgmt.msc in the Open: line and click OK. The Disk Management snap-in will open.

Q52. What is Data Compression?
Ans: Data compression is the process of storing data in a form that takes less space than does uncompressed data. With Windows XP, data compression is available only on NTFS partitions. The compression algorithms support cluster sizes up to 4 KB, so if you are using larger cluster size, NTFS compression support is not available.

Data compression is available only on NTFS partition. If you copy or move a compressed folder or file to a FAT partition, Windows XP will automatically uncompressed the folder or file.

Not : Compressed files or folders are displayed in the different color.

Q53. What is Disk Quota?
Ans: It is a Windows feature used to specify how much disk space a user is allowed to use on specific NTFS volumes. Disk quotas can be applied to all users or to specific users. In other words, Quotas are used to manage storage in distributed environments. Disk quotas are abilities to manage and limit disk resources to those who abuse the system in the form of storage facility.

Disk quotas allow you to monitor the amount of disk space left against the limit assigned to individual users or groups. Disk quotas can be controlled by per volume, per user and per group. If you suspect that a particular user is using disk space to download files from the Internet and is consuming a considerable amount of space… limit their space with quotas.
Set quotas default is not the best way to set quotas; however you can use this option to set quotas for default user and default group. Before you can set quotas, a partition or volume must be quota enabled in the local access option.
File systems => Access local drive => Select and click on a partition => Options => User quota enabled.
After the partition's quota is enabled, quotas will be available in any part, such as in user accounts and group definitions.

Storage

Q1. What is the difference between "recover" and "restore?"
Ans: The terms "recover" and "restore" both refer to retrieving files from a backup device, such as a hard disk, external hard drive or other storage media. However, recovering files typically refers to salvaging one or more files, while a restore usually refers replacing a complete system or hard drive from a full system backup.

For example, if you accidentally erase a document, you may be able recover the file from a recently backup (assuming you have a recent backup). If for some reason, several files in a folder are corrupted and cannot be opened, you may be able to recover the entire folder from a backup. Individual files and folders can be recovered using a backup utility program or by simply dragging files from the backup disk to the original hard disk.

Then there are times when an entire hard drive crashes and stops functioning or the system directory becomes corrupt and the computer cannot boot up. In these desperate times, a full hard disk restore or system restore may be necessary. A hard disk restore can be done using a backup program, which copies every file from the backup to the original disk exactly, essentially duplicating the hard disk. Some backup programs copy a "disk image," or exact binary copy of a hard disk from one the backup drive to the original hard drive.

A system restore can typically be done using the original operating system installation disc(s). A fresh operating system can be installed from the CD/DVD that came with the computer, ensuring there are no problems with the system. While this gives your computer a fresh start, it does not replace the personal data you had previously saved on your hard drive. These files will have to manually be copied back to the new hard drive from a backup device.

So "recover" and "restore" are related, but have different meanings. It might help to think of restoring a hard disk as recovering all files at once. In other words, restoring a hard disk is a much bigger process than recovering individual files. Regardless of how you memorize the difference between the two terms, the important thing to remember is to back up your hard drive!

Q2. Can I use my internal hard drive as an external hard drive?
Ans: Yes, there are external hard drive cases you can buy that will allow you to convert your internal hard drive into an external one. After all, external hard drives are basically standard IDE or SATA drives packaged in an external case. The case protects the hard drive and connects the hard drive interface to the I/O ports. Some external hard drives only include USB 2.0 ports, while others may include USB, Firewire 400 and 800, and external SATA ports.

When buying an external hard drive enclosure, make sure it includes the ports you need to connect the hard drive to your computer. If your computer has Firewire 800 or external SATA connections, you should look for a case that has those interfaces since they will provide faster sustained transfer rates than USB 2.0. Also, make sure it supports your hard drive type, which is most likely either IDE or SATA. Finally, make sure the case is sturdy and made well, since there are few things more important than protecting your data.

Q3. Will adding more RAM give my computer more free space?
Ans: Adding RAM is one of the best things you can do to improve your computer's performance. However, if you need more free space, instead of adding RAM, you may need to add another hard drive.

RAM increases the amount of memory in your computer. When your computer boots up, the operating system is loaded into the memory. Each time you open an application or file, it is loaded into the memory. When the computer shuts down, the memory, or RAM, is erased.

While adding more RAM can allow you to run more programs at one time, it will not increase the amount of space you have for installing new programs and downloading or saving files. To increase your disk space, you need a larger or additional hard drive.

Q4. What is the difference between a USB hard drive and a USB flash drive?
Ans: A USB hard drive is an external hard drive that connects via USB. It uses the same design as an internal hard drive, except comes in an external casing that protects the drive. The case also includes a USB interface, which allows you to connect the drive to your USB port using a USB cable. Most USB hard drives require a USB 2.0 connection, since USB 1.1 does not have a fast enough data transfer rate to be practical.

A USB flash drive, sometimes called a "keychain drive," also connects to the USB port on your computer. Unlike a USB hard drive, a flash drive is a "solid state" device, meaning it has no moving parts. The data is stored electronically, using millions of small gates that have a value of 1 or 0. Hard drives store data using spindles of disks that spin thousands of times every minute.
Because USB flash drives are solid state devices, they are more rugged and less prone to data loss than hard drives. However, flash drives are significantly smaller than most hard drives and cannot hold nearly as much data. Both types of storage media keep their data even when the power to the devices is turned off. However, if you want to archive data for several years, you should burn it to a CD or DVD, both of which do not require electronic charges to store data.

Q5. How can I free up space on my hard disk?
Q6. How do I open files from a USB flash drive?
Computers typically recognize USB flash drives (often called "keychain drives") the same as other hard drives or removable media. This means you can drag and drop files to a USB drive, just like you can with your internal hard disk. If you use a Mac, the USB drive should show up on your desktop a few seconds after you connect it to your computer. If you use Windows XP or later, the drive should show up in "My Computer," along with your hard drives, optical drives, and any other storage media. On both Macs and PCs, you can open USB hard drives by simply clicking drive's icon.

If you have Windows Me or earlier, you should be able to use most USB drives, though some may be incompatible with your computer. Certain drives only support Windows XP or later. If your computer does not recognize a USB flash drive, find out who the manufacturer of the drive is. Then use your Web browser to visit the company's website and see if you can download drivers for your operating system. Installing the correct drivers from the manufacturer may allow your computer to use the USB drive even if your operating system doesn't natively support it.

Q7. How can I make sure everything is deleted off my hard drive before I sell my computer?
Ans: The quickest way to "erase" a hard disk is to initialize it. This process clears the current file system and creates a new directory structure. However, the files on disk are not actually removed -- only their references are gone. This means it is possible to retrieve many of the files on a newly initialized drive.

In order to make sure all your data is truly deleted, you need to "wipe" your hard disk. If you use a Macintosh, the Disk Utility program allows you to choose "Zero All Data" or perform an "8 Way Random Write" when erasing a disk. Either of these options will effectively make your data unrecoverable. Windows does not have a built-in option for wiping the hard drive, but there are several utility programs that will do the job for you. An example is Darik's Boot and Nuke. Several others can be found at CNET's Download.com. If you want to keep any of your data before wiping the drive, be sure to back it up on another drive since you will not be able to recover it.

Q8. How do I know if the blank CDs & DVDs I buy are rewritable?
Ans: Blank CDs come in two varieties -- CD-R and CD-RW discs. CD-Rs are recordable CDs, meaning they can record audio or data only once. CD-RWs, on the other hand, can record data multiple times. But to re-record data on a CD-RW disc, you must completely erase it first. Because CD-RWs can be rewritten, they do not hold data reliably for as long as CD-Rs do.

Writable DVDs come in more varieties than CDs, including DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. DVD-R and DVD+R discs are nearly the same thing, but are formatted differently. The same is true for DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs. DVD-RAM discs are seldomly used anymore. Like CD-Rs, DVD-R and DVD+R discs can be written to only once, but have more reliable data integrity than rewritable DVDs. DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs can be rewritten, but they must be erased each time you want to record new data on them.

To summarize, look for discs ending in "-R" if you want single-use recordable CDs or DVDs. Look for "-RW" if you want discs that you can use more than once. Recordable (-R) discs are a good choice for burning audio CDs and making DVD movies. If you need media for making frequent backups, it make sense to buy rewritable (-RW) discs.

Q9. Is it possible to recover files off a disk that has been reformatted or initialized?
Ans: When a disk is formatted, the directory structure of the disk is rewritten, but the actual files are not deleted. Therefore it may be possible to recover some of the files from a disk that has been reformatted or initialized. As long as the reformatting did not write over the files you want to recover, it is sometimes possible to recover the files using a program like Norton Utilities Unerase, File Rescue Plus, Handy Recovery, or Final Recovery.

These programs will search the disk, whether it be a hard drive, floppy disk, or other media, for valid files. Even though the files are "invisible" to the system, the program should be be able to find them and list the ones that are recoverable. You have the best chance of recovering files if you run the recovery utility immediately after the disk has been formatted. Most disk recovery utilities can also recover files that have been accidentally deleted.

Q10. What does it mean to reformat a hard drive?
Ans: All hard drives, removable disks, CDs, DVDs, and other media need to be formatted in order for your computer to use them. The formatting process writes the basic directory structure onto the disk so that other directories and files can be added.
On a Windows computer, disks are formatted using the FAT32 or the newer NTFS file system. On a Mac, disks are typically formatted with the HFS or HFS+ file system. Once a disk is formatted, it can only be used by a computer that can read the disk's file system. Therefore, if you want to use a Macintosh-formatted disk with a Windows computer, you would need to reformat it using a Windows-compatible file system. Macintosh computers can read most Windows-formatted disks, but to use a hard drive on a Mac, you will need to format it using a Macintosh-compatible file system.
The most important thing to know about formatting or reformatting a disk is that the formatting process erases all the information on the disk. Well, technically, it just writes a new directory structure that allows all the files to be overwritten, creating a blank disk. There are some utilities that can recover files after a disk has been formatted. But for all practical purposes, formatting a disk is the same as erasing it. This is because the disk needs to be prior to formatting.
You can format most disks with Windows using the "Format" option in the File menu after selecting a disk to format. A Macintosh computer will prompt you to initialize and format an unformatted disk within the Finder or you can use the convenient "Disk Utility" program to reformat any writable disk.

Q11. What is a lost cluster?
Ans: lost cluster, or file fragment, is a small amount of data that does not belong to any file. It does not have a file name and is not mapped to any directory. Because they are invalid files, these enigmatic pieces of data can be deleted with no harm done to the valid data on your hard disk. Lost clusters are usually created when your computer is shut down improperly (i.e. pulling out the plug while some files are copying), or when you eject or disconnect a removable drive before unmounting it.

Q12. What does it mean to defragment a hard disk?
Ans: Over time, new files get written to your hard disk and old ones get deleted. When files are removed, gaps are created in the hard drive where new data can be written. Sometimes the new data doesn't quite fit in the gaps and some files get written in multiple areas on the hard disk. These files become "fragmented," meaning they consist of fragments of data. Because the hard drive has to scan multiple parts of the the disk to read a fragmented file, it can slow down the operation of the computer.

Defragmenting the hard disk cures this problem. A hard disk utility, such as Norton Utilities, can put file fragments together to create contiguous files. Contiguous files are read more efficiently by the hard drive and therefore lead to faster data access. Some defragmentation programs can also optimize the hard disk, which places similar files in similar locations. For example, program files are stored in one area, system files in another, and documents in another area of the disk. It is a good idea to defragment you hard drive about once a month during typical use.

Q13. Are Zip disks more reliable than 3.5" diskettes (floppy disks)?
Ans: Considering 3.5" floppy disks are the least reliable storage medium known to man, Zip disks are a safer choice for storing data. They also store significantly more data than floppy disks. Zip disks can store 100, 250, or 750MB of data, where as a floppy disk can only store 1.4 MB after being formatted. Because Zip disks store much more data than floppy disks, their data transfer rate is also much faster, meaning you can read and write large files quickly. This means you don't have to start major data transfers right before your lunch break or when you go to bed at night.

Just like 3.5" diskettes, Zip disks can be written to repeatedly and erased many times if needed. They can also be formatted and used with both Mac or Windows computers. While the capability to continually add and remove files from a Zip disk is useful, recordable CDs continue to be the cheapest option for making quick backups. Also, Zip disks are not as compatible as CDs since you need a Zip drive in order to use them.

Q14. Why does my hard drive make a lot of noise?
Ans: If your hard drive seems to be making more noise than usual, there is a good chance it has become fragmented. Hard drive fragmentation occurs when files and folders are moved around, added, copied, and deleted.

Your computer's hard drive stores information in blocks of data. When information becomes scattered on your hard drive, some files are written onto blocks that are not next to each other. This is known as file fragmentation. Your hard drive can still run when there are fragmented files on it, but it will run slower. This is because it has to scan more of the disk to access certain files. The extra scanning is what causes the hard drive to make more noise. When you start hearing an excessive amount of grinding from your hard drive, it is time to defragment it. A program like Norton Utilities will do this well.

You can also take the defragmentation process one step further and optimize your hard drive. This process moves similar types of files next to each other, so the hard drive head doesn't need to jump around as much. Optimizing your hard drive is a great way to increase performance. If you like your computer running as fast as possible, it is a good idea to defragment it at least once a month and optimize it every three months.

Q15. What would I want to partition my hard drive?
Ans: When you partition your hard drive, you create different sections of it that your computer reads as separate disks. One reason for partitioning your hard drive is so that you can install multiple operating systems on it. For example, Linux needs to be installed on its own partition in order to work. Another reason to partition your hard drive is so that it will read data more efficiently. If you have a large hard drive (20 GB or more), it would be wise to split it into at least two partitions. This way, the hard disk doesn't have to scan as much to find files. It also allows data to be stored in smaller block sizes, which means more space for your files.

To partition a hard drive that has already been formatted (and which you don't want to erase), you can use a program like Partition Magic, which will create a new partition on a hard drive without erasing any data. Otherwise, you can use your operating system's drive setup program to initialize and partition your hard drive. Though this is the best way to partition your drive, it can only be done by erasing all the data on it first.

Q16. Can I still start my computer if my hard drive fails?
Ans: If you can't boot up your computer from your hard drive, the next best option is to start up off a CD. If you have your Windows or Mac OS CD, you can usually start up off that. Just make sure the CD is in the computer before the operating system loads. You can then use a diagnostic program on the CD to check your hard drive and hopefully repair it. If that doesn't work, you can boot of a utility CD such as Norton Utilities and use the hard drive utilities on the CD to repair your hard drive. If you still can't get the hard drive working, it's best that you call the manufacturer and explain the problem to them.

Q17. Why won't my new IDE hard drive work after I just installed it?
Ans: IDE drives must be set up in a "Master-Slave" configuration. This means one hard drive is designated as the master device, and the other one is called the slave drive. The drive with your operating system installed on it should be the master, and the CD or other hard drive should be the slave. To determine which drive is which, you usually have to change the jumpers on the back of the drives. (They are typically little plastic pieces that go on to small metal pins). You'll need to check the manuals that go with the drives to know how to set them correctly. An improper setup of your devices could likely result in one or both drives not functioning.

Note: You can have one master device per IDE controller. So if you have two IDE controllers on your motherboard, you can have two master devices. Then you don't have to worry about any master-slave issues at all. Yea!

Q18. What is the difference between a double density (DD) diskette, and a high density (HD) diskette?
Ans: The terms high density and double density are pretty confusing. A high density diskette can store 1.44 MB after being formatted. (It can hold about 2.0 MB before being formatted.) A double density diskette can only hold 720K of data, or half that of a high density diskette. Sometimes, high density diskettes are referred to as HD/DD, which makes the difference a little more obvious. Double density diskettes are pretty much obsolete now, and it looks like HD diskettes are soon to follow.