Microsoft Windows 98 Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A technician is asked to upgrade a client's Windows 95 machine to Windows 98. What is the recommended first step before beginning the upgrade?
- Begin the installation immediately to save time
- Back up all critical user data and files (Correct answer)
- Uninstall all existing applications
- Format the hard drive to ensure a clean slate
Correct answer: Back up all critical user data and files
Backing up critical data before any OS upgrade protects against data loss if the upgrade fails or causes issues.
Question 2: Which Windows 98 tool should a professional use to view and manage system resources such as CPU and memory usage in real time?
- Device Manager
- System Information
- Resource Meter (Correct answer)
- Disk Defragmenter
Correct answer: Resource Meter
Resource Meter displays real-time usage of system resources including CPU, system, and GDI resources.
Question 3: When a customer reports that their Windows 98 system crashes randomly, which log file should a technician check first for diagnostic clues?
- Bootlog.txt (Correct answer)
- Detlog.txt
- Setuplog.txt
- Netlog.txt
Correct answer: Bootlog.txt
Bootlog.txt records what drivers and components load during startup, helping identify items that fail during the boot process.
Question 4: A professional is documenting a Windows 98 workstation's hardware configuration for an IT inventory. Which built-in utility provides comprehensive hardware and software system information?
- Control Panel
- Microsoft System Information (Msinfo32) (Correct answer)
- Add/Remove Programs
- Windows Explorer
Correct answer: Microsoft System Information (Msinfo32)
Msinfo32 (Microsoft System Information) provides detailed reports on hardware, system components, and software environment.
Question 5: According to professional standards, how should a technician handle a client's personal data discovered on a Windows 98 machine during a repair?
- Copy it for safekeeping on a personal drive
- Ignore it entirely as it is not relevant to the repair
- Maintain confidentiality and only access files necessary for the repair (Correct answer)
- Share relevant files with colleagues to speed up diagnosis
Correct answer: Maintain confidentiality and only access files necessary for the repair
Professional ethics require technicians to maintain client data confidentiality and access only what is necessary to complete the repair.
Question 6: A Windows 98 PC shows a General Protection Fault (GPF). What is the professional's best immediate action?
- Reinstall Windows 98 immediately
- Note the error details and attempt to reproduce it to identify the cause (Correct answer)
- Replace the hard drive
- Increase virtual memory and restart
Correct answer: Note the error details and attempt to reproduce it to identify the cause
Recording error details and reproducing the fault systematically helps identify whether the GPF is caused by a specific application, driver, or hardware conflict.
Question 7: When installing a new peripheral on a Windows 98 system for a client, what should a professional verify after the driver is installed?
- That the peripheral's warranty card is filled out
- That Device Manager shows no conflicts or error codes for the device (Correct answer)
- That the peripheral is placed ergonomically on the desk
- That the original driver disk is returned to the client
Correct answer: That Device Manager shows no conflicts or error codes for the device
Device Manager confirms successful driver installation by showing the device without yellow exclamation marks or error codes.
Microsoft Windows 98 Professional Standards & Competencies 2
A technician is asked to upgrade a client's Windows 95 machine to Windows 98.
What is the recommended first step before beginning the upgrade?