Questions and Answers

Lesson 1 Review

1. How many monitors can you configure to work with Windows XP simultaneously?

   Windows XP supports up to ten monitors, each capable of using a different resolution and color quality.

2. A user tells you that he has recently installed a new video adapter. He downloaded what he thought were the most recent drivers for the device from a website, but came to realize that the drivers he downloaded were not from the manufacturer of the device. He was able to install the drivers, but when he restarted Windows, the display was garbled and he cannot adjust any settings. What should you tell the user to do?

   You should tell the user to press the F8 key just before the operating system loads to access the Advanced Boot Options menu. He should select the Enable VGA Mode option so that Windows boots using standard VGA drivers. After Windows starts, the user should be able to remove the questionable drivers, download the appropriate drivers, and install them.

Lesson 2 Review

1. What is the first step associated with troubleshooting USB problems?

   The first step in troubleshooting USB problems is to check the CMOS setup screens to make sure that the USB function is enabled there.

2. You receive a call from a user who is having trouble installing a scanner on her computer running Windows XP. She disconnected her printer from the computer’s parallel port and connected the scanner in its place. She then turned the scanner on and ran the Add Hardware Wizard. She thinks that Windows XP did detect the scanner, but she received a number of error messages and was unable to complete the installation. She downloaded the most recent drivers for the scanner from the manufacturer’s website that claimed that they support Windows XP, and tried the Add Hardware Wizard again, but got the same results. What is the likely problem?

   1. She must log on to the computer with administrator privileges to install hardware devices that are not Plug and Play.

   2. The scanner is not compatible with Windows XP.

   3. The parallel cable is damaged.

   4. The scanner is not working.

   a is the correct answer. Windows XP installs Plug and Play devices automatically, so an administrator does not need to be logged on to the computer. However, a user must have administrator privileges to install non–Plug and Play devices. b is not correct because the downloaded drivers do support Windows XP. c is not correct because if the parallel cable were damaged, the user would also have had problems with her printer. d is not correct because the scanner is working; the Add Hardware Wizard was able to detect it.

Lesson 3 Review

1. One of your users has Windows XP professional installed on his portable computer. He often carries the portable computer from office to office and must occasionally leave the computer unattended. The user wants to maximize the battery life on his computer, yet still be able to resume work as quickly as possible. He does not want to shut the computer down because he prefers not to have to restart applications whenever he comes back to the computer. What should you tell him to do?

   1. Use the Power Options in Control Panel to select the Max Battery power scheme.

   2. Use the Power Options in Control Panel to create a custom power scheme.

   3. Put the computer into standby mode when left unattended.

   4. Put the computer into hibernate mode when left unattended.

   d is the correct answer. Hibernation mode restores all applications and windows to their previous state while extending battery life. a and b are not correct because until hibernation is enabled, power schemes can only turn off the monitor and hard disks, and send the computer into standby mode. c is not correct because although standby mode restores applications and windows to their previous state, it does not extend battery life as much as hibernation mode.

2. Which of the following standards does Windows XP use for Plug and Play support, as well as for supporting extended power options?

   1. APM

   2. ACPI

   3. USB

   4. BIOS

   B is correct. ACPI provides the Plug and Play specifications used by Windows XP. A is not correct because APM is an older power standard used for backward compatibility. C is not correct because USB is the standard used for a specific type of serial connection. D is not correct because BIOS refers to the computer configuration stored in a permanent area of memory for starting and configuring hardware devices on a computer.

Case Scenario Exercises: Scenario 7-1

One of your users works from home using a computer running Windows XP Professional that supports ACPI. She tells you that her son often presses the power button on her computer and asks you if there is a way to disable the power button. What do you tell her?

Assuming that the computer does support ACPI and that it is enabled, your customer can disable the power button. She should open the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab, and select Do Nothing from the When I Press The Power Button On My Computer drop-down list.

Case Scenario Exercises: Scenario 7-2

You are providing support for a user who recently purchased a new computer. The display adapter in the computer supports a number of advanced features, but the computer does not have the appropriate software installed to take advantage of these features. Your customer downloaded the new drivers and extra software from the manufacturer of the display adapter. He used the installation program that was part of the download to install the new drivers and software. Now, when he starts his computer, Windows seems to start normally, but just after startup, the customer sees an error message stating that the display settings have been restored to their default level. The user notes that the display settings seem to be a low resolution and color quality, but when he tries to open the Display Properties dialog box, the computer freezes. What do you tell him?

This problem is most likely the result of a bad driver. You should try starting the computer into VGA mode or safe mode using the advanced options during startup. It is possible that once in one of these two modes, you can open the Display Properties dialog box and resolve the problem. You could try adjusting the hardware acceleration setting or look through some of the advanced settings provided by your display adapter. It is more likely, however, that you will need to use Device Manager to roll back the display adapter to the previous version.

Troubleshooting Lab

1. What type of display adapter is installed in your computer and what version are the current drivers?

   In Device Manager, expand Display Adapters and note the name of the display adapter. Right- click the display adapter and then select Properties. Look for driver information on the Driver tab.

2. What type of monitor is installed in your computer? Does the monitor listed in Device Manager match the actual model monitor you use?

   In Device Manager, expand Monitors and note the name of the monitor. Windows installs standard monitor drivers when it cannot find specific drivers for your monitor.

3. Using Device Manager, can you determine how many USB ports your computer has built in?

   In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Look for devices named USB Root Hub. Each USB Root Hub corresponds to a USB port on your computer.