Desktop Application Desktop Application Installation & Configuration 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What file extension is commonly used for Windows desktop application installers created with NSIS or Inno Setup?
- .exe (Correct answer)
- .msi
- .dmg
- .pkg
Correct answer: .exe
Windows installers are most commonly distributed as .exe executable files, which launch the setup wizard.
Question 2: What is the Windows Registry primarily used for in desktop application configuration?
- Storing application settings and system configuration data (Correct answer)
- Managing network connections
- Tracking installed fonts
- Running background services
Correct answer: Storing application settings and system configuration data
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings for the OS and installed applications.
Question 3: Which installer technology uses a .msi file format and is managed by the Windows Installer service?
- Microsoft Installer (MSI) (Correct answer)
- NSIS
- InstallShield (legacy)
- ClickOnce
Correct answer: Microsoft Installer (MSI)
MSI packages are handled by the Windows Installer service and support features like rollback, repair, and silent install.
Question 4: What command-line switch is commonly used to run a Windows installer silently without any UI?
- /quiet or /silent (Correct answer)
- /install
- /background
- /headless
Correct answer: /quiet or /silent
Most Windows installers accept /quiet (MSI) or /silent (Inno Setup/NSIS) to install without displaying the setup wizard.
Question 5: Which folder is the standard installation directory for 64-bit applications on a US Windows 10/11 system?
- C:\Program Files (Correct answer)
- C:\Program Files (x86)
- C:\Windows\System32
- C:\Users\AppData
Correct answer: C:\Program Files
64-bit applications install to C:\Program Files, while 32-bit applications on 64-bit Windows use C:\Program Files (x86).
Question 6: What is the purpose of the APPDATA environment variable in Windows desktop application configuration?
- It points to the user-specific folder for storing application data and settings (Correct answer)
- It defines the application's installation directory
- It stores temporary files during installation
- It holds the list of startup programs
Correct answer: It points to the user-specific folder for storing application data and settings
APPDATA points to C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming, where apps store per-user configuration and data files.
Desktop Application Desktop Application Installation & Configuration 1
What file extension is commonly used for Windows desktop application installers created with NSIS or Inno Setup?