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CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies

A+ Certification Lab Manual


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

A+ Certification Lab Manual


Table of Contents
Book II..................................................................................................................................................... 1
Lab 1-1: Identifying Motherboard Components .................................................................................... 1
Lab 1-2: Identifying Motherboard Components .................................................................................... 2
Lab 1-3: Reviewing Motherboard Form Factors ................................................................................... 4
Lab 1-4: Reviewing Bus Architecture Characteristics ........................................................................... 4
Lab 3-1: Identifying memory used in your system. ............................................................................... 5
Lab 3-2: Installing memory .................................................................................................................. 5
Lab 3-3: Researching Specs to Prepare for a Laptop Memory Upgrade ................................................ 5
Lab 4-1: Recording and Changing CMOS Settings ............................................................................... 6
Lab 4-2: CMOS Scenarios .................................................................................................................... 7
Lab 5-1: Identifying Master and Slave Configuration on Your Hard Disk ............................................ 8
Lab 5-2: Installing a SCSI Bus in Windows XP .................................................................................... 9
Lab 6-1: Creating a Partition in Windows ............................................................................................. 9
Lab 6-2: Converting to a Dynamic Disk in Windows XP .................................................................... 11
Lab 6-3: Creating a Simple Volume in Windows XP .......................................................................... 11
Book III ................................................................................................................................................. 12
Lab 3-1: Multi-Display Support in Windows ...................................................................................... 12
Lab 4-1: Identifying IRQ Addresses in Use with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 ................. 13
Lab 4-2: Identifying I/O addresses in Use With Windows XP and Windows Server 2003................... 13
Lab 4-3: Changing an IRQ through Windows XP ............................................................................... 14
Lab 4-4: Troubleshooting IRQs (scenario) .......................................................................................... 14
Lab 5-1: Identifying Parts of the Laser Printer.................................................................................... 15
Lab 5-2: Connecting and Using a USB Printer.................................................................................... 15
Lab 5-3: Installing a Printer in Windows ............................................................................................ 16
Lab 5-4: Cleaning an Ink Jet Printer ................................................................................................... 17
Book V .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Lab 3-1: Installing Windows XP......................................................................................................... 18
Lab 3-2: Automating Windows XP Setup ........................................................................................... 18
Lab 4-1: Managing File Associations ................................................................................................. 19
Lab 4-2: Setting and Working with File Attributes from the Command Line ...................................... 20
Book VI ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Lab 1-1: Examining Driver Resource Settings with Device Manager .................................................. 23
Lab 2-1: Resources Used by Windows on Windows ........................................................................... 23
Lab 2-2: Running 16-bit Applications ................................................................................................ 24
Lab 2-3: Modifying PIF Settings ........................................................................................................ 26
Lab 4-1: Exporting Your Desktop Settings to a File ........................................................................... 26

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

A+ Certification Lab Manual


Lab 4-2: Customizing the Pre-User Login Desktop with Windows XP ............................................... 28
Lab 4-3: Creating a Computer Manager MMC File............................................................................. 28
Lab 4-4: Working with Windows Script Host ..................................................................................... 30
Lab 4-5: Extracting and Expanding Damaged Drivers from the Source Media.................................... 31
Book VII ................................................................................................................................................ 33
Lab 2-1: Restarting the Print Spooler from the Command Prompt ...................................................... 33
Lab 3-1: Examining the Recovery Console ......................................................................................... 33
Book VIII............................................................................................................................................... 36
Lab 1-1: Identifying Network Architectures ....................................................................................... 36
Lab 1-2: Creating a Small Office Network or Home Network............................................................. 36
Lab 3-1: Viewing TCP/IP Settings...................................................................................................... 36
Lab 3-2: Configuring TCP/IP in Windows .......................................................................................... 37
Lab 3-3: Testing TCP/IP Communication ........................................................................................... 37
Lab 3-4: Sharing Resources in Windows ............................................................................................ 38
Book IX ................................................................................................................................................. 40
Lab 2-1: Creating Users and Groups ................................................................................................... 40
Lab 2-2: Setting Permissions and Rights ............................................................................................ 40
Lab 3-1: Performing a Windows Update ............................................................................................. 41
Lab 3-2: Using Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) .......................................................... 41

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

A+ Certification Lab Manual

Book II
Lab 1-1: Identifying Motherboard Components
In this lab you will identify the major motherboard components on an older
motherboard shown in the following diagram. Locate the following items:
1. 30-pin SIMMs
2. 8-bit ISA slot
3. System BIOS
4. VESA slot
5. Processor
6. L2 cache
7. 16-bit ISA slot
8. 72-pin SIMMs
9. CMOS battery

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

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A+ Certification Lab Manual

Lab1-1: Answer

2
9

1
8

Lab 1-2: Identifying Motherboard Components


In this lab you will identify the major motherboard components on the motherboard
shown in the figure. Locate the following items in the figure. It is possible not all
items exist.
a. Processor
b. North Bridge
c. USB ports
d. PCI slot
e. System BIOS
f. Memory
g. Parallel Port
h. CMOS battery
i. South Bridge
j. Power Connector
k. IDE Connections
l. ISA slot

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual


m. Serial Ports
n. Floppy Drive Connector
o. PS/2 connections for mouse/keyboard
p. AGP slot

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

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A+ Certification Lab Manual

Lab 1-2: Answer


k

f
h

b
a

d
j

p
o

Lab 1-3: Reviewing Motherboard Form Factors


In this lab you summarize distinguishing features of popular motherboard form
factors. In the space below make a few points summarizing how you can identify
the popular form factors.
AT and Baby AT:

NLX:

ATX and MicroATX:

Lab 1-4: Reviewing Bus Architecture Characteristics


For this lab, fill in the blanks in the following table, identifying the different
performance characteristics of each of the standard bus architectures.

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual


Bus Architecture

Speed

ISA
EISA

Data Path

Bus Mastering
Support

8-/16-bit

No

8 MHz

MCA
VESA

32-bit

PCI
AGP
PCIe
PCMCIA

Lab 3-1: Identifying memory used in your system.


In this lab you will navigate through your CMOS setup program to find as much
information out about your memory. If you cant find all the information out in
CMOS, open the case to the system and take out a memory module. See if there is a
label on the memory module indicating the type of memory and the speed. Record
your information below:
Memory Type (SDRAM,DDR)
Memory Speed (60ns, 100MHz, 400 MHz)
Gold or Silver pins
SIMM or DIMM

Lab 3-2: Installing memory


In this lab you will practice removing and installing memory in your system.
1. Remove the computer case.
2. Locate the SIMM or DIMM socket.
3. Identify whether the modules will be seated vertically or diagonally.
4. Remove the existing memory from the sockets.
5. Looking at the system board to see if the banks are labeled on the board. The
system board usually marks DIMM1, DIMM2, and DIMM3 meaning that each
DIMM is a bank or they may mark each DIMM slot as a bank by labeling them
bank0, bank1, and bank2.
6. Identify how many modules must be installed to fill a bank on your system. For
example, a Pentium processor uses two SIMM modules to fill a bank.
7. Install the memory.
8. Restart the system.

Lab 3-3: Researching Specs to Prepare for a Laptop


Memory Upgrade
Your manager has asked that you order memory to upgrade her laptop. She has an
HP Pavilion dv1000 Series notebook. The exact model is an HP Pavilion dv1540ca

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual


notebook. You need to navigate to the HP Web site (www.hp.com) and search for
documentation on the HP Pavilion dv1540ca in order to answer the following
questions about the memory for this laptop:
1. How many memory slots does the laptop have?

2. How many of those slots are free?

3. What type of memory does the laptop use?

4. What speed of memory does the laptop use?

5. What is the maximum amount of memory that can be installed on the laptop?

Lab 4-1: Recording and Changing CMOS Settings


In this lab you will navigate through the CMOS setup program of your system and
locate a number of values for your system.
1. Power the computer on and enter the CMOS setup program for your system.
2. Record the information shown in the following table by finding it in your
CMOS setup program.
Setting

Value

Amount of memory
Processor Specs
Memory (type and amount)
Cache memory
BIOS date
Parallel port mode
Hard drive size
First startup device
Second startup device
Third startup device
COM1 IRQ
COM2 IRQ
LPT1 IRQ
Virtualization Support?
Built-in network card? Enabled?

3. Find out how to change the values of particular settings in your CMOS setup
program by looking at the bottom of the screen for a legend. Changing the
value is often done by using left and right arrow keys or the page up and page
down buttons.
What method is used for changing values in CMOS?
__________________________________________

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual


4. Find the power-on password setting (typically in the advanced options or the
security options). Change the power-on password to password and change the
administrator password to admin. Save the changes and exit CMOS and reboot.
5. When the system restarts, you should be prompted for a password before the
operating system displays. Type the password password and then press Enter.
6. After you have verified that you need a password to start the computer, restart
the system and enter CMOS to remove the passwords. To enter CMOS you will
need to type your new password of admin.

Lab 4-2: CMOS Scenarios


In this lab you will read through scenarios to determine the CMOS setting that you
would alter to solve the problem. The following three scenarios test your
knowledge of some of the CMOS settings in their application to everyday problems.
1. Your manager is trying to hook a daisy chain the scanner and printer to the
parallel port on her system. Once she has connected all of the devices properly,
neither device seems to work. What steps would you take to get the scanner to
work, and why?

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. You are trying to boot off the network and have specified that the network will
be your first boot device, followed by the DVD drive and then your hard drive.
You cant seem to boot off the network. What is the most likely problem?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
3. You are running Windows Server 2008 and have installed the Hyper-V role, but
you get an error when trying to create a virtual machine. What might be the
cause of the problem?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


By Glen E. Clarke and Ed Tetz

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A+ Certification Lab Manual


_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

CMOS Scenario Answers


The following are potential answers to the CMOS scenarios presented in this lab
exercise.
1. Check to ensure that the parallel printer port mode is set to enhanced parallel port
(EPP) mode - a parallel port mode that allows bi-directional communication up to
2 MBps as well as daisy-chaining.
2. Assuming that the network card is the first bootable device, you must enable
another CMOS setting: enable network booting. The system may not be booting off
the network because the option to boot off the network is disabled.
3. In order for Hyper-V to work on your system you must have a processor that
supports virtualization, and virtualization support must be enabled in the BIOS.
Check the CMOS setup to verify that virtualization support has been enabled in the
BIOS.

Lab 5-1: Identifying Master and Slave Configuration on


Your Hard Disk
The objective of this hands-on lab is to gain experience searching for documentation
on your hard drive. After retrieving the documentation and determining how to set
up the system for multiple drives, you will install a second IDE drive and confirm
the changes in your system CMOS.
For this exercise, you need a computer that you can work on and two IDE hard
drives that can be configured in a multi-drive configuration.
1. Power your computer off.
2. Take the casing off the computer.
3. Remove the hard disk.
Somewhere on the hard disk, you should be able to see the manufacturers name.
You should also be able to see the make and model number.
4. Record the following information for the hard disk:
* Manufacturer:
* Make:
* Model:
5. Look on the back of the drive or go to the manufacturers Web site and find the
documentation on your particular hard drive as to how to master and slave the
drive.
This will probably be on some sort of support page.
6. From the documentation, determine how to set up a dual-drive (master/slave)
system using two of the same drives and record your results below.

7. If you have a second hard disk and an IDE cable with three connectors, then
master and slave the two drives.

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual


8. Restart the system
When the system reboots, verify the drive information into CMOS and then save
CMOS and exit.

Lab 5-2: Installing a SCSI Bus in Windows XP


The objective of this hands-on lab is to gain experience installing a SCSI device. To
complete this lab, you need a computer with XPinstalled. You also need to have
both a SCSI controller and a SCSI device (CD-ROM, hard disk, scanner).
1. Power off the computer.
2. Take the cover off.
3. Assign unique IDs to each of your SCSI devices.
This may require researching the jumper settings on the devices if they are internal
devices. If they are external devices, there should be a switch on the back of the
SCSI device to change the ID number.
4. Place the SCSI card into an expansion slot.
5. Chain the devices off the SCSI card.
6. Place the cover back on the computer.
7. Power the computer on.
8. Log on to Windows as an Administrator.
9. Choose Start and then right-click My Computer and choose Properties.
10. Click the Hardware tab and then click the Add Hardware Wizard button.
The Add Hardware Wizard appears, displaying a welcome screen.
11. Click Next.
12. Select Add or Troubleshoot a Device and then click Next.
13. In the Choose Hardware Device dialog box, select Add a New Device and then
click Next.
14. Select No, I Want to Select the Hardware from a List. Click Next.
When in this dialog box, if you know the host adapter you are installing, select No, I
Want to Select the Hardware from a List. If you are unsure of the host adapter you
are installing, choose Yes, Search for New Hardware.
The next screen asks you what type of device you are installing.
15. Choose SCSI and RAID controllers and then click Next.
16. In the list of devices, select the manufacturer on the left side and the adapter to
install on the right side. Click Next.
17. Click Finish.
18. Restart the computer.

Lab 6-1: Creating a Partition in Windows


In this lab, you create a second partition on your Windows XP or Windows 7
system. Be sure that you have unallocated space on the disk so that you may create a
partition.

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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1.Navigate to Computer Management Console.
a. In Windows XP click Start, right-click My Computer, and choose
Manage.
b. In Windows 7 click Start, right-click Computer, and choose Manage.
2. When the Computer Management console has started, select Disk Management
on the left side of the screen (in Windows 7 this is located under Storage).
On the right side, in the bottom half of the screen, notice that the disk type for Disk
1 is Basic Disk.
In Windows XP:
3. Right-click the unallocated space and choose New Partition.
The Create Partition Wizard starts and displays a welcome screen.
4. Click Next.
The wizard asks what type of partition you will be creating.
5. Select Primary Partition and Click Next.
6. Type 250 as the size of the primary partition and click Next.
7. Choose G: as the drive letter you want to associate with this partition and then
click Next.
8. Choose NTFS as the file system you want to format the partition with and then
click Next.
9. Click the Finish button.
You will notice that the drive starts to format in the background, and it indicates the
percent complete in the Disk Management utility.
10. Close the Computer Management utility after the format is completed.
In Windows 7:
11. Right-click the unallocated space and choose New Simple Volume.
The Create Simple Volume Wizard starts and displays a welcome screen.
12. Click Next.
13. Type 250 as the size of the primary partition and click Next.
14. Choose G: as the drive letter you want to associate with this volume and then
click Next.
15. Choose NTFS as the file system you want to format the partition with and then
click Next.
16. Click the Finish button.
You will notice that the drive starts to format in the background, and it indicates the
percent complete in the Disk Management utility.
17. Close the Computer Management utility after the format is completed.

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual

Lab 6-2: Converting to a Dynamic Disk in Windows XP


In this lab, you convert your basic disk to a dynamic disk so that you can create a
simple volume in the next lab.
1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and choose Manage.
2. When the Computer Management console has started, select Disk Management
on the left side of the screen.
On the right side, in the bottom half of the screen, note that the disk type for the
disk is Basic Disk.
3. Right-click on the disk you wish to convert to a dynamic disk and choose
Convert to Dynamic Disk.
4. In the Convert to Dynamic Disk dialog box, make sure that the disk number
you wish to convert is selected and click OK.
5. Click the Convert button.
You get a warning letting you know that you will be unable to start older operating
systems from the disk after it is converted.
6. Click Yes to continue.
7. Click Yes to dismount any file systems being converted.
After the drive is converted, you will notice that the legend has changed to include a
simple volume. You will also notice that the disk is now a dynamic disk.

Lab 6-3: Creating a Simple Volume in Windows XP


In this lab, you create a simple volume using the disk management snap-in. Be sure
that you have completed lab 5-4 before doing this lab.
1. In the Disk Management console, right-click on unallocated space and choose
New Volume.
The New Volume Wizard appears.
2. Click Next.
You are shown a list of volume types you can create.
3. Choose Simple as the volume type you wish to create and then click Next.
4. Type 1000 as the amount of space to use for the volume and then click Next.
5. Select S: as the drive letter for the volume and click Next.
6. Specify NTFS as the file system to use and choose to perform a quick format.
Click Next.
7. Click Finish to create the volume.

CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, 3rd Edition


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A+ Certification Lab Manual

Book III
Lab 3-1: Multi-Display Support in Windows
In this lab, you install a second video card in your system and configure Windows
for multi-display support. Multi-display support is a cool feature of Windows that
allows your Desktop to span multiple monitors. When your Desktop spans multiple
monitors, you can move applications from one monitor to the other - essentially
leveraging your screen space.
To configure multi-display support in Windows XP follow these steps:
1. Open your computer case and install an additional video adapter or connect
multiple monitors to the one video card if you have multiple video ports on the
video card.
You can find instructions for installing a video card in the Installing a video card
section.
2. Put the computer case back on and power on the system.
3. Plug a separate monitor into each of the two video cards.
4. Ensure that a driver is loaded for both video cards and monitors.
5. To enable multi-display support, right-click the Desktop and choose Properties.
6. In the Desktop Properties window, click the Advanced tab and select the second
monitor (contains the number 2 in the icon).
7. After you have highlighted the second monitor, select Extend My Windows
Desktop to This Monitor.
8. Click OK.
9. Start Internet Explorer, type www.gleneclarke.com in the address bar, and press
Enter.
10. After the Web site appears, restore the window and then move it to the
secondary monitor by clicking and dragging it.
11. Once Internet Explorer is on the secondary monitor maximize the Window.
12. Start your e-mail program and ensure it is running on the primary monitor.
You are now taking advantage of multi display - viewing two programs at one time
while maximizing screen space.
To configure multi-display support in Windows 7 follow these steps:
13. Open your computer case and install an additional video adapter or connect
multiple monitors to the one video card if you have multiple video ports on the
video card.
You can find instructions for installing a video card in the Installing a video card
section.
14. Put the computer case back on and power on the system.
15. Plug a separate monitor into each of the two video cards.
16. Ensure that a driver is loaded for both video cards and monitors.
17. To enable multi-display support, right-click the Desktop and choose Screen
Resolution.

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18. In the Screen Resolution window, click the detect button to detect the
additional display that is connected to the system.
19. Select each display and set the resolution.
20. Click OK.
21. Start Internet Explorer, type www.gleneclarke.com in the address bar, and press
Enter.
22. After the Web site appears, restore the window and then move it to the
secondary monitor by clicking and dragging it.
23. Once Internet Explorer is on the secondary monitor maximize the Window.
24. Start your e-mail program and ensure it is running on the primary monitor.

Lab 4-1: Identifying IRQ Addresses in Use with Windows


XP and Windows Server 2003
In this lab you will find out what IRQs are in use on your system for popular
devices.
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties.
2. Click the Hardware page tab.
3. Click the Device Manager button.
4. Choose View --> Resources by Type.
5. Expand Input/Output (IO) and view the list of I/O addresses being used. Fill in
the following table:

Device

IRQ

LPT1
Hard disk controller
System timer
COM1
COM2
Keyboard
Floppy disk controller
Math coprocessor

Lab 4-2: Identifying I/O addresses in Use With Windows


XP and Windows Server 2003
In this lab you will find out what I/O addresses are in use on your system for
popular devices.
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties.

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2. Click the Hardware page tab.
3. Click the Device Manager button.
4. Choose View -->Resources by Type.
5. Expand Interrupt Request (IRQ) and view the list of IRQs being used. Fill in
the following table:
Device

I/O Address

LPT1
Hard disk controller
COM1
COM2
Floppy disk controller
Math coprocessor

Lab 4-3: Changing an IRQ through Windows XP


In this lab you will see the general steps to modify an IRQ in Windows XP. Keep in
mind that this lab is for education purposes, with plug and play today you will not
need to modify resources manually.
1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and select Properties.
2. Click the Hardware page tab and then click the Device Manager button.
3. In the Device Manager, expand Ports (COM and LPT).
4. Select Communications Port (COM1) and then click the Properties button.
5. Click the Resources tab and determine which IRQ this port uses.
6. Deselect the Use Automatic Settings check box.
Doing so allows you to change the IRQ.
7. Change the Setting to Basic Configuration 0001.
The IRQ or I/O Range should change.
8. Click OK.
A dialog box appears, warning you that you are changing the settings for this device.
9. Close Device Manager and then click OK.

Lab 4-4: Troubleshooting IRQs (scenario)


In this lab you will review a scenario and come up with a solution of IRQ
assignment. Keep in mind that this lab is for education purposes, with plug and play
today you will not need to assign resources manually.
1. You have the following three devices installed in your system: a sound card, a
modem connected to COM1, and a serial mouse connected to COM 2.
When you install the sound card, you could have used IRQ 3, 5, 10, or 12 and you
went with IRQ 5. The modem is using the default IRQ for COM1, and the serial
mouse is using the default IRQ for COM2.
You are installing a network card into the system that can use IRQ 3, IRQ 4, or
IRQ 5.

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What IRQ settings will need to be assigned to the four devices to allow them all to
function at the same time?

Lab 4-4 Answer


1. When you install the network card you will have to assign it to IRQ 5 because
COM1 and COM2 are using IRQ 4 and 3. The problem being that the sound card is
already using IRQ 5 so you will have to change it to use either IRQ 10 or 12. This
will prevent the newly installed network card from conflicting with the sound card.

Lab 5-1: Identifying Parts of the Laser Printer


In this lab, you need a laser printer so that you can identify its parts. Because the
laser printer has parts that can remain hot, be sure to let the laser printer cool down
for an hour before opening it.
1. Turn the printer off and disconnect the power.
2. Remove the paper tray and locate the rollers that pick the paper out of the tray.
If you can, follow the path that the paper takes through the printer.
3. Open the printer cover and you may notice a flap move down over a gray-green
cylinder.
The gray-green cylinder is the print drum.
4. Look for a thin, mirror-like strip opposite the print drum - this mirror is used
to reflect the laser onto the print drum.
If you slowly close the printer, you may be able to see the mirror align with the print
drum.
5. Open the cover again and look for a warning message on the sticker about heat.
The warning is due to the fuser area - dont touch the fuser area because it could still
be hot.
6. Look for a thin metal thread - this is the transfer corona wire.
7. Close the print cover and replace the paper tray.
8. Plug the printer back in and print a test page.

Lab 5-2: Connecting and Using a USB Printer


For this lab, you need a USB printer to connect to a computer. You may want to
download the driver for the printer from the Internet or have the CD that came with
the printer ready.
1. Plug the USB cable into the printer.
2. Power on the printer.
3. Connect the USB cable to the computers USB port.
Windows should detect the new device and either load the driver for you or prompt
you for the driver.

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4. If Windows prompts you for the driver, put the CD-ROM that came with the
printer in the computers CD-ROM drive and follow the on-screen instructions
to install the correct driver.
5. Print a test page.

Lab 5-3: Installing a Printer in Windows


In this lab, you install an HP LaserJet 4 printer on a Windows XP system. If you
dont have a Windows XP system handy, you can install the printer on a Windows
2000 system - the concept is the same although the steps may be a little different.
1. Choose Start-->Printers and Faxes.
2. Double-click the Add Printer icon and click Next.
3. Click the radio button for the local printer and click Next.
4. For this exercise, confirm that the Automatically Detect and Install My Plug
and Play Printer option is not selected.
5. Choose an available port, such as LPT1, and then click Next.
6. For this exercise, choose HP as the manufacturer and LaserJet 4 as the model
and then click Next.
7. Supply a friendly name for this printer and click Next.
If you have other printers connected to this machine, do not make this new printer
your default printer.
8. If youre on a network, you can choose the Share This Printer option. Click
Next.
In most instances where a printer is actually attached to the port, you can choose to
print a test page. In this exercise, there is no need to do so.
9. Click Finish to close the wizard.
You will next install a printer in Windows 7 by following these steps:
10. Choose Start-->Devices and Printers.
11. Choose the Add Printer button at the top of the window (located next to Add a
device).
12. Choose Add a local printer.
13. Choose an existing port, such as LPT1, and then click Next.
14. For this exercise, choose Brother as the manufacturer and Brother DCP-128C
as the model and then click Next.
15. Supply a friendly name for this printer (such as Brother) and click Next.
16. Choose the Share this printer so others on your network can find and use it
option. Click Next.
In most instances where a printer is actually attached to the port, you can choose to
print a test page. In this exercise, there is no need to do so.
17. Click Finish to close the wizard.

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Lab 5-4: Cleaning an Ink Jet Printer


In this lab, you clean an inkjet printer. To perform this lab, you need access to an
inkjet printer, some isopropyl alcohol, and some cotton swabs.
1. Prepare a work area with adequate space to work on the printer. Be sure to
wear clothing you dont mind getting ink on.
2. Power down the printer and unplug it.
3. Open the printer and remove the ink cartridge.
4. With a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab, clean the outer
case, including the ink nozzle inside the printer.
5. With a new cotton swab, clean the inside of the print head where the ink
cartridge rests.
6. Give enough time for the alcohol to evaporate. Be sure that there are no
remnants of the cotton swab on the ink cartridge.
7. Place the cartridge in the printer and follow the manufacturers directions to
align the ink cartridge if necessary.

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Book V
Lab 3-1: Installing Windows XP
In this lab you will boot off the Windows XP Professional CD and perform a clean
installation of the operating system.
1. Turn on the computer with the Windows XP CDROM in the CDROM tray.
Watch the screen and press any key to boot from CDROM when asked to.
2. Press Enter to install Windows.
3. Press c to continue if you are warned about the partition setup.
4. Press F8 to agree to the licensing information.
5. Choose c to create a partition. Type a partition size of 20000 MB. If you
dont have 20000 MB, go with 10000 MB.
6. Press enter on your newly created partition to install the operating system to
that partition.
7. Format the partition for NTFS.
8. After setup restarts and proceeds to the GUI install choose Next to accept the
Regional settings.
9. Type your Name and Organization and then choose Next.
10. Type your product key and then click Next.
11. Type XPPro as the computername and type P@ssw0rd as the password for the
administrator account. Keep in mind that in real life you should use a more
complicated password so that it cannot be guessed by intruders. Choose Next.
12. Choose your time zone and then choose Next.
13. Choose Next to accept the typical network settings.
14. Choose Next to make this system part of a workgroup called WORKGROUP.
15. Click Finish when setup is complete.
16. When the system reboots choose Next at the Network Identification wizard and
then choose that users must enter a unique username and password.

Lab 3-2: Automating Windows XP Setup


Lab 3-2 gives you some practice automating the installation of a Windows XP
system. The automated installation will be performed by booting from the Windows
XP CD; the answer file, winnt.sif, will be read from a floppy disk.
1. On an existing Windows XP system, create a new folder on the desktop called
deploy.
2. Extract the contents of the deploy.cab file (found in the Support folder on the
Windows XP CD) to the deploy folder.
3. In the deploy folder on the desktop, double-click setupmgr.exe.
4. Click Next to create a new answer file.
5. Click Next to create a Windows unattended installation.
6. Click Next to accept Windows XP as the operating system.
7. Choose Full Automated and then click Next.

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8. Choose No, This Answer File Will Be Used to Install from CD, and then click
Next.
9. Read and accept the licensing terms and then click Next.
10. Type your name and Company ABC in the appropriate boxes and then click
Next.
11. Click Next twice.
12. Type your product key and then click Next.
13. Type WinXP for the computer name, click Add, and then click Next.
14. Type password for the password and then confirm the password. Click Next.
15. Click Next nine times to accept the remaining default settings.
16. Click Finish.
17. Save the file as winnt.sif in the deploy folder on the desktop.
18. Copy the file to a Windows 98 boot disk. Boot off the diskette and use fdisk to
remove any partitions.
19. Remove the Windows 98 floppy and the restart the computer with the Windows
XP CD-ROM in the CD-ROM tray.
Be ready to insert the floppy as soon as you see the blue Windows XP setup screen.
20. When you see the Windows XP setup start screen, pop the Windows 98 floppy
back into the floppy drive so that the setup program uses the winnt.sif file for
the answers to installation questions.

Lab 4-1: Managing File Associations


Lab 4-1 provides some practice working with file associations. You will require a
computer with either Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.
1. Create a new text file on your Desktop by right-clicking an empty space and
selecting New-->Text Document. Use the default name.
2. If you dont see the .txt extension at the end of the filename, change the
Windows setting to show file extensions.
On Windows XP, follow these steps:
1. Open My Computer.
2. Choose View-->Folder Options.
3. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab.
4. Uncheck the box labeled Hide File Extensions for Known File Types.
5. Click the OK button to close the dialog box.
6. Close the My Computer window.
On Windows Vista and Windows 7, follow these steps:
1. Open Computer from the Start menu.
2. Choose Organize -->Folder and search options.
3. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab.
4. Uncheck the box labeled Hide File Extensions for Known File Types.
5. Click the OK button to close the dialog box.

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6. Close the Computer window.
3. Right-click the file and choose Rename from the pop-up menu.
4. Change the name to testfile.luk and press Enter.
Windows warns you that you are trying to change a file extension, and that the file
may become unusable if you change the extension.
5. Click Yes, verifying that you want to change the file extension.
The file's icon should change to a document with a Windows logo in it. If it doesnt,
then the .luk extension is already in use on your computer. Try changing the
extension to something else, such as .lu1, .lu2, or .lu3.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 and create two more files named testfile2.luk and
testfile3.luk.
6. Double-click the file.
You will be asked if you would like Windows to go online or use a Web service to
find a program that can be used with that file extension. Choose Select the program
from a list, and click OK.
You should see a dialog box asking you to choose a program to open it with.
7. Choose WordPad and select the Always Use the Selected Program to Open This
Kind of File check box at the bottom of the dialog box.
WordPad should open, displaying the blank document. Type your name, save the
file, and close the program.
All three of the files that you created should now have the same WordPad icons.
Steps 8 to 16 only apply if you are using Windows XP; if you are using Windows
Vista or Windows 7, then skip down to Step 17.
8. Open My Computer.
9. Choose View -->Folder Options to open the Folder Options dialog box.
10. Click the File Types tab.
11. Find and select LUK File in the list.
In the bottom pane, you should see the program that is associated with LUK files
WordPad.
12. Click the Advanced button.
The Edit File Type dialog box appears.
13. Select the Open command in the Actions pane and click the Edit button.
Notice the other actions with this command. They can be edited in the same manner.
14. In the Application Used to Perform Action text box, type:
c:\windows\notepad.exe "%1"

This changes the file format to open with Notepad instead of WordPad.
15. Click OK and then OK and then Close in the consecutive dialog boxes to return
to the My Computer Window; then close the My Computer window.
16. Double-click the testfile.luk file on your desktop.
Did it open with Notepad? If not, repeat steps 8 15 to see what went wrong.
17. Delete the testfile.luk file from your desktop.

Lab 4-2: Setting and Working with File Attributes from the
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Command Line
Lab 4-2 provides some practice working with attributes via the command line. For
this exercise, you need a computer running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or
Windows 7.
1. Open a command prompt by choosing Start-->(All) Programs-->Accessories->Command Prompt.
2. Create a new directory and four files on the root of one of your drives by typing
the following commands:
mkdir c:\attribtest
c:
cd \attribtest
dir c:\*.* >c:\attribtest\read.txt
dir c:\*.* >c:\attribtest\hidden.txt
dir c:\*.* >c:\attribtest\system.txt
dir c:\*.* >c:\attribtest\archive.txt

3. Activate all of the basic attributes by using the attrib command:


attrib
attrib
attrib
attrib

+r
+h
+s
+a

read.txt
hidden.txt
system.txt
archive.txt

4. Now remove the archive attribute from all files in the directory by using the
following command (record any errors):
attrib -a

5. Check the existing attributes by typing attrib.


Notice that only archive.txt and read.txt have had the archive attribute removed.
6. Now open read.txt with the notepad.exe or edit command:
notepad.exe read.txt

7. Add or remove some text and record your error message.


8. Exit without saving your changes by pressing Alt+F, X.
9. Now open and edit archive.txt with the notepad.exe or edit command.
notepad.exe archive.txt

10. Make any change to the file, when you finish editing the file, close and save
your changes by pressing Alt+F, S and then Alt+F, X.
11. Check the existing attributes on archive.txt by typing attrib archive.txt.
archive.txt should now have the Archive attribute set on it again.
12. Delete all of the files in the attribtest directory by using this command:
del c:\attribtest\*.*

13. Confirm the deletion by typing Y.


14. You shouldnt have been able to delete the read.txt file because the Read-only
attribute is enabled. Deactivate the Read-only attribute on the file and try to
delete it again:
attrib -r read.txt
del c:\attribtest\*.*

15. Remove the test directory:


cd c:\
rmdir c:\attribtest

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16. Did the last command work? If not, why not?____________________
17. Remove the directory by first changing the file attributes to allow the files to be
deleted, then deleting the files, and finally removing the directory:
attrib -h c:\attribtest\hidden.txt
attrib -s c:\attribtest\system.txt
del c:\attribtest\*.*
rmdir c:\attribtest

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Book VI
Lab 1-1: Examining Driver Resource Settings with Device
Manager
Lab 1-1 will guide you through examining the resources that are in use by your
network card. In this exercise, you can use either Windows XP, Windows Vista, or
Windows 7.
1. Open Device Manager.
On Windows XP, follow these steps:
1. Choose Start -->Control Panel -->System.
2. From the System Properties dialog, choose the Hardware tab and click the
Device Manager button.
On Windows Vista or Windows 7, follow these steps:
1. Choose Start.
2. Right-click on Computer and choose Properties.
3. From the System Properties window, choose the Device Manager link in the lefthand panel.
2. Expand the Network Adapters section.
3. Right click on your network card and select Properties.
This will open the Properties dialog for your network card.
4. Select the Resources tab and record the following settings (if available):
Memory Range:________________
Input/Output Range:________________
Interrupt Request:________________
Direct Memory Access:________________
5. Close the Network Card Properties window and the associated windows.

Lab 2-1: Resources Used by Windows on Windows


Lab 2-1 gives you some practice examining the resources used by Windows on
Windows (WOW). This lab requires that you obtain copies of specific 16-bit
Windows applications from a copy of Windows 9x. These applications will be
copied into c:\labfiles folder on the lab computer. For this lab, you will have to use
Windows XP.
To locate the file required for this lab, use a computer running Windows 9x and
then follow Steps 1 through 8.
1. Place a blank floppy disk in the floppy drive.
2. Choose Start-->Find-->File or Folders.
3. In the Named text box, type *.exe.
4. In the Look In text box, type c:\windows (or the path to your Windows
directory).
Make sure the Include Subfolders option is selected.
5. Click the Find Now button and wait for the search to complete.
6. Click the column heading Name to sort that column in alphabetical order.

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7. Locate the required files and select them all; then right-click them and choose
Send To-->3 1/2 Floppy (A) in order to copy the files to the floppy disk, or you
could copy them to other removable media. The required files are as follows:
* dialer.exe
* mshearts.exe
* sol.exe
* sysedit.exe
* winmine.exe
Your files may not have the .exe at the end of the name if your computer has been
set to hide known file extensions.
8. Remove the floppy disk and close the Find window.
To copy the files onto the computer running Windows XP, follow steps 9 through 14.
9. Right-click My Computer and choose Explore.
10. In the left pane, select the C: drive.
11. If the labfiles folder is not listed in the right pane, then choose File-->New->Folder and type labfiles for its name.
12. Insert the floppy disk you created in Steps 1 through 8 into the floppy drive.
13. In the left pane, select the floppy drive icon.
You should see a list of the files on the disk.
14. Select one of the files and then choose Edit-->Select All; then choose Edit->Copy.
15. Select the C: drive in the left pane, locate and right-click the labfiles folder, and
choose Paste.
This copies the files from the A: drive to C:\labfiles. When it has completed, you
can close Explorer and remove the floppy disk from the floppy drive.
You will now use the 16-bit applications that you copied into the C:\labfiles folder
to examine how they operate on your Windows XP computer.
16. Open the C:\labfiles folder by choosing Start-->Run and then typing C:\labfiles.
17. Open dialer.exe by double-clicking it.
A window with a number pad opens.
18. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and clicking the Task
Manager button.
19. Select the Processes tab and scan down the items in the Image Name column.
You should notice that the NTVDM is running wowexec.exe and dialer.exe. The
amount of memory that the NTVDM is using is close to the amount of memory that
every application that runs in a separate NTVDM will use.
20. Close Task Manager and Phone Dialer (dialer.exe).

Lab 2-2: Running 16-bit Applications


Lab 2-2 will give you practice starting 16-bit applications in their own memory
space. This lab assumes that the required lab files have been installed to your disk,
using the default installation path of c:\labfiles. If you have not completed Lab 2-1,
then follow the steps at the beginning of that lab exercise to get the proper files in
your labfiles directory. You can use Windows XP for this lab exercise.
1. Open the C:\labfiles folder.

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2. Create a shortcut to sol.exe called Separate Sol.
1. Right-click sol.exe and choose Copy.
2. Right-click in the current folder and choose Paste Shortcut.
3. Right-click the new shortcut and select Rename.
4. Change the name to Separate Sol.
3. Right-click the Separate Sol shortcut and choose Properties.
4. On the Shortcut tab, select Run in Separate Memory Space, or if you are
running Windows XP, select the Advanced button to open the Advanced
Properties dialog, select Run in Separate Memory Space, and Click OK to close
to the Advanced Properties window.
5. Click OK to close the Properties window.
6. Open the following applications from the labfiles folder:
* dialer.exe
* winmine.exe
* sol.exe
* Separate Sol
* mshearts.exe
When you open mshearts.exe, a dialog displaying an error message will appear
telling you that cards.dll is missing and that the program is exiting will appear.
Click OK to continue.
7. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and clicking the Task
Manager button.
8. Switch to the Processes tab and locate mshearts.exe in the Image Name column.
Notice that it is still running, even though the earlier message said that it was going
to exit. This application has hung on exit and could not complete its task. Although
it did not in this case, mshearts.exe could have caused problems for other
applications running on the system, but only those running in the same NTVDM.
Examine the other applications that are running in the same NTVDM. You should
see dialer.exe, sol.exe, and winmine.exe in the same NTVDM.
9. Close the mshearts.exe program by selecting it and clicking the End Process
button.
Notice that the copy of sol.exe that was launched using the Separate Sol shortcut is
running in its own NTVDM rather than the default NTDVM. If you are using
Windows XP, then you may only see that an additional NTVDM is running, and not
detailed information about the program(s) running within the NTVDM.
10. Close the other 16-bit applications that you had started on the system, but leave
the Task Manager window open.
Notice in the Task Manager window that you still have a listing for ntvdm.exe and
wowexec.exe. This is the default copy that is left running after you open your first
16-bit application.
11. Select ntvdm.exe and click the End Process button to free up memory.
12. Close the Task Manager window.

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Lab 2-3: Modifying PIF Settings


In Lab 2-3, you create a .pif to launch the MS-DOS edit command. You can perform
this lab using Windows XP, Windows Vista (32-bit), or Windows 7 (32-bit). The
edit.com command file will only be present on 32-bit OSes.
1. Open the directory that contains edit.com.
The path to edit.com is c:\windows\system32.
2. Locate edit.pif and delete it. (If it exists, it is in the same directory as edit.com.)
3. Right-click edit.com and choose Properties.
4. Click the Program tab and change the working directory to c:\.
5. To test this new setting, choose Start-->Run and type edit.com to launch the
editor.
Press Esc to clear the Welcome dialog box, type at least one letter or space and then
press Alt+F, S to save the file. Note that the default directory that you are saving to
is c:\.
6. Close the editor by pressing Esc, Alt+F, Alt+X.
7. To create a new .pif for edit.com on your desktop, right-click edit.com and
choose Copy.
8. Minimize all active windows, right-click the Desktop, and choose Paste
Shortcut.
9. Examine the settings found in the shortcut by right-clicking the shortcut and
choosing Properties.
Change the working directory to another location that exists on your computer, such
as c:\temp.
10. Test your new shortcut by double-clicking it to launch the editor.
Press Esc to clear the Welcome dialog box, type at least one letter, and then press
Alt+F, S to save the file. You should note that the default directory that you are
saving to is c:\temp (or the default directory you were using). Close the editor by
pressing Esc, Alt+F, Alt+X.
11. Re-open the editor by choosing Start-->Run and typing edit.com.
The default save directories will be different, depending on which PIF (or shortcut)
is used to launch the file.
The default PIF for the application is used when the application is launched from the
Run command.

Lab 4-1: Exporting Your Desktop Settings to a File


Lab 4-1 will have you export your current Desktop settings into a file, and create a
registry file that is used to change wallpaper settings.
For this lab exercise, you will require a graphic file. You can use Microsoft Paint to
create one, and save to C:\labfiles\NewDesk.bmp. If the C:\labfiles directory does
not exist, you will need to create the directory. This graphic file will be used as your
desktop wallpaper.
This lab exercise can be completed with either Windows XP, Windows Vista, or
Windows 7. In this lab, you use the Registry Editor to export a section of your
Registry.

Warning

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Care must always be used when working with the Registry Editor. This lab only
performs an export of the Registry information. Do not change any of the values in
the Registry.
1. Choose Start-->Run, type regedit.exe, and click OK, or Start-->Search
programs and files, type regedit.exe, and press Enter, to open the Registry
Editor.
2. Expand the following path by clicking the (+) plus signs or triangles in front of
the key names: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Then select the
Desktop key.
3. In the right pane of the Registry Editor, you should see your current Desktop
settings, including Wallpaper, Tile Wallpaper, ScreenSaver (if one is configured),
and PaintDesktopVersion.
4. Choose Registry-->Export Registry File.
5. Make sure Selected Branch is selected and type the filename
C:\labfiles\desktop_reg.txt.
6. Close the Registry Editor by choosing Registry-->Exit.
7. Open the folder C:\labfiles and locate and double-click the file desktop_reg.txt.
The contents should look something like this:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"DragFullWindows"="0"
"FontSmoothing"="0"
"wallpaper"=""
"TileWallpaper"="0"
"ScreenSaveTimeOut"="900"
"UserPreferencemask"=hex:ae,00,00,00
"WallpaperStyle"="0"
"ScreenSaveLowPowerActive"="0"
"ScreenSave_Data"=hex:31,42,41,32,33,39,34,41,33,37,32,36,45,41,35,45,00
"ScreenSaveActive"="0"
"ScreenSaveUsePassword"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
<content not displayed>

Technical Stuff
The WindowsMetrics section deals with sizing and spacing of various Windows
components, such as icons and menus.
The values in this file represent your current Desktop settings.
8. Edit this file, deleted all the lines except for the following lines, and change the
lines to match as written in the following:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"Wallpaper"="c:\\labfiles\\NewDesk.bmp"
"TileWallpaper"="1"

When specifying file paths in the Registry Editor, you type paths normally, but
when using Registry export files, you must double the backslashes that are used in
the path because the backslash is used as a control character in the key names.
9. Save the file by choosing File-->Save, and close Notepad by choosing File->Exit.
10. Import file C:\labfiles\desktop_reg.txt into your registry by choosing Start->Run, type regedit.exe C:\labfiles\desktop_reg.txt and click OK.

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This will import the settings found in C:\labfiles\desktop_reg.txt. You will not see
the changes until you log out and log in again. If the settings do not appear, then you
will have to open and resave the file C:\labfiles\desktop_reg.txt using edit.com.

Lab 4-2: Customizing the Pre-User Login Desktop with


Windows XP
Lab 4-2 will modify the Desktop settings for the user environment which is in effect
when no users are logged on. This is the wallpaper and color scheme that you see
behind the logon screen.
Sometimes you might want to modify user profile settings for the Desktop
environment that is used prior to user logon. If you are using or Windows XP, the
following steps show you how to do this.
For this lab exercise, you will require a graphic file. You can use Microsoft Paint to
create one, and save to C:\labfiles\Profiledesk.bmp. If the C:\labfiles directory does
not exist, you will need to create the directory. This graphic file will be used as your
desktop wallpaper.
Care must always be used when working with the Registry Editor. This lab edits
only certain values in the Registry. Dont change any of the values in the Registry
other than the ones listed in the lab.
1. Choose Start-->Run, type regedit.exe, and click OK.
2. Expand HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop.
3. Select the Desktop key and record your current settings for:
Wallpaper
TileWallpaper
4. Right-click Wallpaper and choose Modify.
5. Change the data to C:\labfiles\profiledesk.bmp.
6. Press OK to save your change.
7. Right-click TileWallpaper and choose Modify.
8. Change the data to 1.
9. Click OK to save your change.
10. Close the Registry Editor by choosing Registry-->Exit.
11. To test your settings, log out of your current session. You should see a new
wallpaper behind the Login dialog box.
12. Log in, reopen the Registry Editor, and follow the steps in this lab to restore
your original settings.

Lab 4-3: Creating a Computer Manager MMC File


Lab 4-3 will walk you though the process of creating a custom Computer
Management MMC.
This lab exercise helps you create a customized Computer Management console.
You will have to use a Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 computer to
perform this lab. You will need to use a computer on which you have Administrative
rights.
1. Open the Microsoft Management Console by choosing Start-->Run or Start->Search programs and files, typing mmc, and pressing Enter.

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2. Choose Console-->Add/Remove Snap-in on Windows XP or File-->Add/Remove
Snap-in.
3. Click the Add button to see a list of available snap-ins on Windows XP,
Windows Vista and Windows 7 will already be showing this window.
4. Select Folder in the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog and click Add three time to
add three copies of the Folder snap-in.
5. Click the Close button on Windows XP and then click OK.
6. Right-click each item on the tree in left pane of the console window, starting
with Console Root, and choose Rename. Change Console Root to Computer
Management, New Folder to System Tools, New Folder to Storage, and New
Folder to Services and Applications.
7. Choose Console-->Add/Remove Snap-in in on Windows XP or File->Add/Remove Snap-in and select System Tools from the Snap-ins Added To or
Parent snap-in drop-down list.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, in order to see the Parent snap-in
option, click the Advanced button, select the checkbox for Allow changing the parent
snap-in, and then click OK
8. Click the Add button, select the following snap-ins and click the Add button to
add the following snap-ins:
Event Viewer (Local Computer then Finished)
System Information (Local Computer then Finished)
Performance Logs and Alerts
Device Manager (Local Computer then Finished)
Local Users and Groups (Local Computer then Finished)
9. Click the Close button on Windows XP.
10. Select Storage from the Snap-ins Added To or Parent snap-in drop-down list.
11. Click the Add button, select the following snap-ins and click the Add button
and add the following snap-ins:
Disk Management (Local Computer then Finished)
Disk Defragmenter
12. Click the Close button on Windows XP.
13. Select Services and Applications from the Snap-ins Added To or Parent snap-in
drop-down list.
14. Click the Add button, select Services, and click the Add button. It will default
to add Services for the Local Computer, click Finish to accept this setting.
15. Click the Close button on Windows XP and the OK button.
You will now be looking at your new management console.
16. Expand the tree structure on the left pane to see the elements that were added.
17. To save, choose Console-->Save As or File-->Save As, name your console My
Computer Management, and change the save directory to c:\labfiles.
If you open the labfiles directory, you will be able to launch your custom console by
double-clicking the icon.

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Lab 4-4: Working with Windows Script Host


Lab 4-4 will create a few simple scripts using Windows Script Host. In this exercise,
you build a script that creates a shortcut on your Desktop. In this script, blank lines
have been left between each actual line in the script. For example, the code that is
typed in Step 5 is only one line of text, but due to the constraints of this book, it is
displayed as two lines, and Step 9 actually contains 5 lines of code.
1. Open Notepad.
2. Type the following:
MsgBox "Hello World"

3. Save the file as c:\labfiles\shortcut.vbs, but leave it open.


4. Open the c:\labfiles folder and double-click the shortcut.vbs file.
If you have Windows Script Host installed on your computer, then a message box
labeled VBScript will appear, containing the text Hello World.
5. Click OK to dismiss the window, but leave the labfiles folder open.
6. Switch back to Notepad and give your dialog box a title by changing the line to
this:
MsgBox "This script will create a shortcut on your desktop.", ,
"Shortcut Creation Script"

7. Save and run this script. It should now have a title.


The two consecutive commas are there because youre supposed to identify the type
of buttons in your dialog between those commas.
8. Add to the line so that it looks like this:
MsgBox "This script will create a shortcut on your desktop.",
vbOKCancel + vbInformation, "Shortcut Creation Script".

9. Save and run this script.


It should now be an Information dialog box (with a Blue Information mark). It
currently does not matter which button you press.
10. To put the appropriate controls in, change the file to this:
Dim RunProg
RunProg = MsgBox("This script will create a shortcut on your
desktop.", vbOKCancel + vbInformation, "Shortcut Creation
Script" )
If RunProg = vbCancel Then
WScript.Quit
End If

You should take note of the changes in the MsgBox command. You will take the
input from the MsgBox command (the button that was clicked) and place it in a
variable named RunProg. This is also the reason there is a pair of parentheses
because youre getting input.
11. Run the script and click the buttons. Currently these buttons do not do
anything other than close the dialog.
12. Now add the following lines to the end of your script file to create a shell-level
object that will be called upon to make the shortcut:
Dim WSH

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Set WSH = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

13. Declare your variables by adding the following line to the script file:
Dim NewShortcut, ShortcutName, DesktopLocation

14. Find out where the current Desktop folder is by adding the following line to the
script file:
DesktopPath = WSH.SpecialFolders("Desktop")

15. Prompt the user for a name to be given to their new Shortcut to Notepad by
adding this:
ShortcutName = InputBox("What would you like to name the
Shortcut to Notepad?","Need Info")
If ShortcutName = "" Then ShortcutName = "Shortcut to Notepad"

The InputBox command is similar to MsgBox in that the parameters are body text
and title. The result of what is typed in is stored in a variable named ShortcutName.
If no name is typed, then the name will be Shortcut to Notepad.
16. Finally, create the shortcut on the Desktop with the .lnk extension:
Set NewShortcut = WSH.CreateShortcut(DesktopLocation & "\" & ShortcutName & ".lnk")
NewShortcut.TargetPath = WSH.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%windir%\notepad.exe")
NewShortcut.WorkingDirectory = WSH.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%windir%")
NewShortcut.WindowStyle = 4
NewShortcut.IconLocation = WSH.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%windir%\notepad.exe, 0")
NewShortcut.Save

17. Save your script and try it.


You should be prompted for a name, and the script will use that name for the
shortcut. If you do not provide a name, then "Shortcut to Notepad" will be used.
This exercise is just the tip of the iceberg when dealing with the programming in
Windows Script Host. For complete details, look at the resources found at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/.

Lab 4-5: Extracting and Expanding Damaged Drivers from


the Source Media
In this lab, you extract a file (freecell.exe) from your Windows XP CD. The
scenario is based on results of troubleshooting, which have identified freecell.exe as
the corrupted or problem file. You can perform these steps a computer with either
Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.
1. Place the Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Open a command prompt (Start-->All Programs-->Accessories-->Command
Prompt) and type the following:
<CD_ROM drive letter>:

Your CD-ROM should now be the active drive.


3. Type cd i386.
You should now have the source files for Windows as your current directory. If your
source files are in an alternate location, make that your current directory.

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4. Create a directory to hold the Windows XP version of Freecell by typing the
following command:
mkdir c:\labfiles\winxp

5. Type the following line and review the output to become familiar with the
options:
expand /?

When you examine the options that are available, you will notice that the expand
command works to extract files from within cabinet files as well.
6. Search the source directory for files that are used by Freecell by typing dir /w
/on freecell.*.
This should provide a list of three files: freecell.ex_, freecell.ch_, and freecell.hl_.
These files are actually freecell.exe, freecell.chm, and freecell.hlp. The .hlp file is
the help file, the .chm file is a compiled help file (that has the Explorer interface),
and the .exe file is the executable itself.
7. Expand the executable into your new destination directory by typing the
following command:
expand freecell.ex_ c:\labfiles\winxp\freecell.exe

You should note that if you do not know what the destination filenames are suppose
to be, you could use the -r option and only specify the destination directory, as in
the following example:
expand -r freecell.ex_ c:\labfiles\winxp

8. Test Freecell by typing this:


c:\labfiles\winxp\freecell.exe

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Book VII
Lab 2-1: Restarting the Print Spooler from the Command
Prompt
Lab 2-1 provides practice restarting the print spooler via the command prompt. This
lab requires a Windows XP, Window Vista, or Windows 7 computer.
1. Start up Windows and log in.
2. Open a new command prompt by choosing Start-->(All) Programs->Accessories-->Command Prompt.
3. Find out or confirm the proper name of the Print Spooler service by typing net
start, and locate it in the list of services.
4. Verify the correct syntax of the net command by typing net stop /?.
5. Stop the print spooler by typing net stop "print spooler".
After a few seconds, the print spooler should be stopped.
6. Restart the print spooler by typing net start "print spooler".
After a few seconds, the print spooler should be running. This is the same process
that should be followed when the spooler stalls.

Lab 3-1: Examining the Recovery Console


Lab 3-1 gives you some practice working with the Recovery Console. For this lab,
you need a computer running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. In
addition, you need an installation CD for the operating system.. Since you will need
to boot from the CD-ROM, you may have to change the settings in your CMOS.
There are three versions of this lab, choose the correct on for the Windows OS you
will be using.
If you are using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, follow these steps:
1. Place the Windows 7 of Windows Vista DVD in your DVD-ROM.
2. Reboot your computer and follow the instructions to boot from the DVD.
3. On the Install Windows screen, choose your settings and click Next.
4. On the Install Windows screen (with the Install now option), choose the link
Repair your computer at the bottom of the window.
5. On the System Recovery Options dialog, choose Use recovery tools that can help
fix problems starting Windows.
This option will only show up when using Windows 7, if you are using Windows
Vista then move onto the next step.
6. Select the copy of Windows you want to repair. The click the Next button.
If you have a multiboot configuration, then choose the copy that you want to repair,
otherwise the correct copy of Windows will already be selected. If you require thirdparty drives to access the disks that contain your Windows installation, then choose
Load Drivers to install them.
6. On the Startup Repair screen, you are presented on option to use System
Restore to recover your system. While this is a good option, it will be bypass the
recovery console, click Cancel.
7. On the Startup Repair failure dialog, choose Dont send.

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This error may not appear on your execution of the Startup Repair wizard. If the
error does not appear, move onto Step 8.
8. The last page of the Startup Repair wizard has two links, click the link View
advanced options for system recovery and support.
This will open the System Recovery Options dialog, providing access to the
following tools:
Startup Repair
System Restore
System Image Recovery
Windows Memory Diagnostics
Command Prompt
The Recovery Console, as it existed in Windows XP, no longer exists; instead the
System Recovery Options dialog has been created with most of the Recovery
Console functionality. The final option in the list allows you to access the actual
Command Prompt, as opposed to the modified OS which is the Recovery Console.
9. Choose Command Prompt to access the Windows 7 or Windows Vista
Command Prompt.
You should now be logged on to the command prompt. The current directory should
be something similar to x:\sources. You will now have access to all of the standard
Windows command-line tools, including:
bootrec.exe
bcdedit.exe
chkdsk.exe
diskpart.exe
icalcs.exe
You will also have access to Windows-based tools, including:
regedit.exe
notepad.exe
10. After exploring the Command Prompt and other System Recovery Options
tools, you can remove any floppy disks or CDs from the system and type EXIT
in the Command Prompt. To reboot or shut down your system or choose the
Restart or Shut Down button in the System Recovery Options dialog.
If you are using Windows XP, follow these steps:
1. Place the Windows XP CD in your CD-ROM.
2. Reboot your computer and follow the instructions to boot from the CD.
3. On the Welcome to Setup screen, you should press R, To Repair a Windows
XP installation using Recovery Console.
4. You should now have the option of logging onto any copy of Windows XP that is
installed on the computer. If you are not dual booting, you will log on to #1 by
typing 1 and pressing Enter.
If you have a multiboot configuration, then choose the copy that you want to log
onto.
5. Provide the password that was assigned as the Recovery Console during the
installation of Windows XP.

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You should now be logged on to your console. The current directory should be
something similar to c:\windows. To get a list of the available commands, type help.
To get help on the syntax and description of any of the other commands, type help
<command> or <command> /?.
6. After exploring the Recovery Console, remove any floppy disks or CDs from the
system and type EXIT to reboot your system or Logon to choose another copy of
Windows that may be installed on the computer.

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Book VIII
Lab 1-1: Identifying Network Architectures
The following lab reviews your knowledge of the different types of network
architectures. The following table summarizes the different network architectures.
Please fill in the blanks.
Architecture

Topology

Cabling

Access Method

Speed

Token Ring
10Base2
10BaseT

CSMA/CD
Star

10Base5

10 Mbps

100BaseT
1000BaseSX

Lab 1-2: Creating a Small Office Network or Home


Network
In this lab you will create a small office or home network by using a home router
and a few computers.
1. Purchase a Linksys or D-Link home router and take it out of the box.
2. Connect the router to your homes power supply.
3. Connect the WAN port on the back of the router to your high-speed Internet
connection.
4. Connect two computers to the router by connecting CAT 5 UTP cable to any of
ports 1 through 4 and to the RJ-45 port on the computers.
5. You should now be able to surf the Internet from the two systems connected to
the router.
The router provides a number of capabilities out of the box, the first is that it acts as
a firewall, protecting your system from network attacks. The router also shares the
Internet connection to all other systems and acts as a DHCP server - giving IP
addresses out to each system that connects to the router so that they can surf the
Internet.

Lab 3-1: Viewing TCP/IP Settings


In this lab you will view your TCP/IP settings with the ipconfig command.
1.Start a Windows command prompt.
a. In Windows XP, choose Start | Run and then type cmd and press Enter.
b. In Windows 7, choose Start and type cmd in the Search box and press
Enter.
2. At the command prompt, type ipconfig.
Record your settings below.
IP Address:
Subnet Mask:

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Default Gateway:
Notice that the ipconfig command does not show the IP address of your DNS server,
DHCP Server, or display your MAC address.
3. To view the address of the DHCP Server, DNS Server, and your MAC Address
type ipconfig /all.
Fill in the address information below.
DNS Server:
DHCP Server:
MAC Address:
4. Close the Windows command prompt.

Lab 3-2: Configuring TCP/IP in Windows


In this lab you will modify your TCP/IP settings so that your Windows XP system
will use a static IP address.
1. Choose Start-->Control Panel-->Network and Internet Connections-->Network
Connections.
2. Right-click your local area connection and choose Properties.
3. In the list of items used by the connection, select TCP/IP and click Properties.
4. To assign a static address, choose Use the Following IP Address.
5. Type an IP address of 10.0.0.1 and a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0 in the
appropriate boxes.
6. Click the OK button.
7. Click the OK button again to exit the network connection properties dialog box.
To configure your Windows 7 system to use a static IP address, follow these steps:
8. Choose Start-->Control Panel-->Network and Internet -->Network and Sharing
Center.
9. Choose the Local Area Connection hyperlink to open the properties of the
connection.
10. Choose the Properties button.
11. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click Properties.
12. To assign a static address, choose Use the Following IP Address.
13. Type an IP address of 10.0.0.1 and a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0 in the
appropriate boxes.
14. Click the OK button.
15. Click the Close button twice to exit out.

Lab 3-3: Testing TCP/IP Communication


In this lab you will test TCP/IP communication by using the PING utility.

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1. After changing your IP address, choose Start-->Run and then type cmd and
press Enter (in Windows XP), or choose Start and type cmd in the Search box
and then press Enter for Windows 7.
2. At the command prompt, type ping 10.0.0.1.
You should get a reply; if not, verify that TCP/IP was configured with the IP address
of 10.0.0.1.
3. Type ipconfig.
You should see the IP address assigned and the subnet mask information.
4. To ping the loopback address, type ping 127.0.0.1.
You should get four replies, one from each of the four test messages that have been
sent.
5. Close the command prompt.

Lab 3-4: Sharing Resources in Windows


In this part of the lab you will share a folder in Windows XP.
1. Open My Computer and double-click drive C.
2. Choose File-->New-->Folder from the menu bar.
3. Type data as the name of the newly added folder and press Enter.
4. Right-click the data folder and choose Sharing and Security.
5. In the Sharing dialog box, choose the Share This Folder on the Network option.
Notice that the default share name is data.
6. Make sure that the Allow Network Users to Change My Files option is not
selected and then click OK.
7. To test the shared folder, choose Start-->Run, type \\<yourcomputername>\data,
and press Enter.
The folder contents will appear.
8. Try to create a new text document in the data share. You should receive an
access denied message.
To share the folder in Windows 7 you will follow these steps:
9. Open Computer and double-click drive C.
10. Choose the New Folder button in the toolbar.
11. Type data as the name of the newly added folder and press Enter.
12. Right-click the data folder and choose Properties. In the properties of the
dialog box choose the Sharing tab.
13. On the Sharing tab, choose the Advanced Sharing button.
14. Choose the Share this folder.
Notice that the default share name is data.
15. Make sure that you give Users the Change permission by choosing the
permission button and then click OK.
16. To test the shared folder, choose Start, type \\<yourcomputername>\data in the
Search box, and press Enter.

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The folder contents will appear.

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Book IX
Lab 2-1: Creating Users and Groups
In this lab, you create three user accounts and two groups. You create a user account
for Anita Watchmaker, Bill OSale, and Sally Forth. You also create a group for the
accountants and for the marketing personnel. To create the users in Windows XP
follow these steps:
1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and choose Manage.
2. Expand Local Users and Groups and then select the Users folder.
3. Right-click the Users folder and choose New User.
4. Create user accounts for Anita, Bill, and Sally with logon names built from
their first initial plus their last name. Enter their full names and assign a
password of P@ssw0rd for each account.
5. After you have created the three user accounts, select the Groups folder and
then right-click the Groups folder and choose New Group.
6. Create a group called Accountants and add the Anita Watchmaker account to
the group.
7. Create a group called Marketing and add Bill and Sally to the Marketing group.
8. Close Computer Management.
To create the users in Windows 7 follow these steps:
9. Click Start, right-click Computer, and choose Manage.
10. Expand Local Users and Groups and then select the Users folder.
11. Right-click the Users folder and choose New User.
12. Create user accounts for Anita, Bill, and Sally with logon names built from
their first initial plus their last name. Enter their full names and assign a
password of P@ssw0rd for each account.
13. After you have created the three user accounts, select the Groups folder and
then right-click the Groups folder and choose New Group.
14. Create a group called Accountants and add the Anita Watchmaker account to
the group.
15. Create a group called Marketing and add Bill and Sally to the Marketing group.
16. Close Computer Management.

Lab 2-2: Setting Permissions and Rights


In this lab, you modify the rights of the local system so that the Accountants group
can change the time on the computer. You then assign the accountants the modify
permission to the data folder on drive C. In order to do this lab you must have
completed lab 2-1.
1. Log on as Bill with a password of P@ssw0rd.
2. Double-click the clock in the bottom-right corner to change the time. Are you
able to change the time? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________
3. Log off Bill.

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4. Log on as the administrator.
5. Choose Start-->Control Panel-->Performance and Maintenance->Administrative Tools-->Local Security Policy.
6. Expand Local Policies and select User Rights Assignments.
7. Double-click the Change System Time right and add accountants to the list of
people who can change the time.
8. Close all Windows.
9. Log out as an administrator and log back in as Bill.
10. Double-click the time in the bottom-right corner and try to change the time on
the computer. Are you able to?
11. Log off as Bill and log back on as an administrator.
12. Create a folder on the C drive named Data.
13. To change the permissions on the C:\Data folder, right-click on the folder and
choose Properties.
14. Within the Properties dialog box, click the Security tab to view a list of
permissions. Do accountants have access to the file?
15. To assign accountant permissions to the file, click the Add button and then type
accountants.
16. Click the Check Names button and then click OK.
17. When the accountants have been added, assign them the Modify permission by
choosing the apply check box beside Modify in the screen below.
18. Click OK and close all Windows.

Lab 3-1: Performing a Windows Update


In this lab, you perform a Windows Update to update your system with the current
software updates and security patches.
1. Click Start-->All Programs-->Windows Update.
2. When you receive a list of updates, install each update. You will most likely
have a few reboots between the installations of the updates. If you do have to
reboot after installing an update, go back to the Windows Update site to install
the remaining updates for your system.

Lab 3-2: Using Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer


(MBSA)
In this lab, you use the MBSA tool to perform a security analysis of your local
system.
1. Download the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads
2. After downloading and installing the MBSA, double-click the shortcut that was
placed on the desktop to start the MBSA.
2. Choose Scan a Computer.

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3. Click Start Scan to begin the analysis of your local system.
4. Review the results of the scan.

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