Table Of Content4352.book Page i Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
MCDST:
Microsoft Certified Desktop
Support Technician
Study Guide
Bill Ferguson
San Francisco • London
4352.book Page ii Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
Associate Publisher: Neil Edde
Acquisitions Editor: Maureen Adams
Developmental Editor: Maureen Adams
Production Editor: Rachel Gunn
Technical Editors: James Kelly, Warren Wyrostek
Copyeditor: Linda Recktenwald
Compositor: Craig Woods, Happenstance Type-O-Rama
CD Coordinator: Dan Mummert
CD Technician: Kevin Ly
Proofreaders: Nancy Riddiough, Laurie O’Connell
Indexer: Nancy Guenther
Book Designers: Judy Fung, Bill Gibson
Cover Designer: Archer Design
Cover Illustrator/Photographer: Photodisc and Victor Arre
Copyright © 2004 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. World rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but
not limited to photocopy, photograph, magnetic, or other record, without the prior agreement and written per-
mission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Card Number: 2004094373
ISBN: 0-7821-4352-0
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The author and publisher have made their best efforts to prepare this book, and the content is based upon final
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Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To Our Valued Readers:
Thank you for looking to Sybex for your MCDST exam prep needs. We at Sybex are proud of
our reputation for providing certification candidates with the practical knowledge and skills
needed to succeed in the highly competitive IT marketplace. Certification candidates have come
to rely on Sybex for accurate and accessible instruction on today’s crucial technologies and busi-
ness skills. For the second year in a row, readers such as yourself voted Sybex as winner of the
“Best Study Guides” category in the most recent CertCities Readers Choice Awards.
Just as Microsoft is committed to establishing measurable standards for certifying desktop
support technicians by means of the MCDST certification, Sybex is committed to providing
those individuals with the knowledge needed to meet those standards.
The author and editors have worked hard to ensure that the study guide you hold in your
hands is comprehensive, in-depth, and pedagogically sound. We’re confident that this book
will exceed the demanding standards of the certification marketplace and help you, the
MCDST certification candidate, succeed in your endeavors.
As always, your feedback is important to us. If you believe you’ve identified an error in the
book, please send a detailed e-mail to [email protected]. And if you have general comments
or suggestions, feel free to drop me a line directly at [email protected]. At Sybex we’re con-
tinually striving to meet the needs of individuals preparing for certification exams.
Good luck in pursuit of your MCDST certification!
Neil Edde
Associate Publisher—Certification
Sybex, Inc.
4352.book Page iv Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
Software License Agreement: Terms and Conditions
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To my inspiration, my perfect match, my best friend, and the love of my life, my
wife, Wilma. Thanks for all of your encouragement and prayers, without which this
book would not have been possible.
4352.book Page vi Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
Acknowledgments
First, I’d like to thank Neil Edde for giving me the opportunity to write this important book.
Several people have assisted me in many ways so I’d like to acknowledge their contributions and
offer my sincere appreciation.
My thanks to Maureen Adams, who set me up with the right resources to get the book off
to a strong start. Many thanks to Rachel Gunn, who “cracked the whip” (in a very nice way)
when necessary to keep the project on schedule. Special appreciation to my technical editors,
Jim Kelly and Warren Wyrostek, whose attention to even the finest detail is absolutely amazing.
To all of the copyeditors, compositors, and proofreaders...Thank you for a job well done!
Finally I’d like to acknowledge the encouragement and prayers of my family and friends and
the students in my technical classes and Sunday School classes. In Him, all things are possible!
4352.book Page vii Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
Contents at a Glance
Introduction xix
Assessment Test xxx
Part I Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a
Microsoft Windows XP Operating System 1
Chapter 1 Installing a Windows Desktop Operating System 3
Chapter 2 Managing and Troubleshooting Access to Resources 33
Chapter 3 Configuring and Troubleshooting Hardware
Devices and Drivers 73
Chapter 4 Configuring and Troubleshooting the Desktop and
User Environments 107
Chapter 5 Troubleshooting Network Protocols and Services 141
Part II Supporting Users and Troubleshooting
Desktop Applications on a Microsoft
Windows XP Operating System 187
Chapter 6 Configuring and Troubleshooting Applications 189
Chapter 7 Resolving Usability Issues 237
Chapter 8 Resolving Application Customization Issues 281
Chapter 9 Configuring and Troubleshooting Connectivity
for Applications 335
Chapter 10 Configuring Application Security 381
Glossary 413
Index 429
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4352.book Page ix Monday, August 16, 2004 5:57 PM
Contents
Introduction xix
Assessment Test xxx
Part I Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a
Microsoft Windows XP Operating System 1
Chapter 1 Installing a Windows Desktop Operating System 3
Performing and Troubleshooting an Attended
Installation of Windows XP 6
Verifying that Hardware Meets the Minimum Requirements 6
Checking Hardware and Software Compatibility 7
Preparing the BIOS 9
Obtaining Driver Updates 9
Preparing the Hard Disk for Installation 9
Installing the Windows XP Operating System 13
Performing and Troubleshooting an Unattended
Installation of Windows XP 17
Answer Files 17
Uniqueness Database Files 17
Remote Installation Services 19
Performing and Troubleshooting an Upgrade Installation
of Windows XP 20
Using the Upgrade Advisor 21
Using the User State Migration Tool 21
Using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard 22
Performing and Troubleshooting a Multiboot Installation
of Windows XP 23
Summary 25
Exam Essentials 26
Review Questions 27
Answers to Review Questions 30
Chapter 2 Managing and Troubleshooting Access
to Resources 33
Files and Folders 35
NTFS File Permissions 35
NTFS Folder Permissions 36
Verifying NTFS File and Folder Permissions 36
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x Contents
Special Considerations with Managing and
Troubleshooting Permissions 38
Shared Folders 46
Simple File Sharing 46
Classic Sharing 46
Printers 51
Local Printers 51
Network Printers 53
Printer Permissions 54
Troubleshooting Printers 55
Offline Files and Folders 61
Offline File Settings 61
Synchronization 64
Summary 64
Exam Essentials 65
Review Questions 67
Answers to Review Questions 70
Chapter 3 Configuring and Troubleshooting
Hardware Devices and Drivers 73
Storage Devices 76
Fixed Storage Devices 76
Removable Storage Devices 81
Display Devices 81
Types of Display Devices 82
Display Settings 82
Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) 85
Power Schemes 86
Standby vs. Hibernate 88
I/O Devices 91
Types of I/O Devices 91
Hardware Profiles 92
Troubleshooting I/O Devices 94
Drivers 94
Updating Drivers 94
Rolling Back Drivers 96
Driver Signing 96
Summary 99
Exam Essentials 100
Review Questions 102
Answers to Review Questions 105
