Microsoft Windows 98 Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Windows 98 feature allows a researcher to schedule automated backups of research data at off-peak hours?
- Task Scheduler (mstask.exe) to run backup scripts at specified times (Correct answer)
- System Monitor set to trigger on disk usage
- DriveSpace automatic compression scheduling
- Defrag run from Autoexec.bat only
Correct answer: Task Scheduler (mstask.exe) to run backup scripts at specified times
Task Scheduler in Windows 98 can run any program or script at scheduled times, enabling automated unattended backups.
Question 2: A researcher needs to print a full system report for a Windows 98 machine as part of an audit trail. Which tool generates a printable system summary?
- Microsoft System Information (msinfo32) via File > Print (Correct answer)
- Device Manager > Print option
- Control Panel > System > Print report
- Registry Editor > File > Export then print
Correct answer: Microsoft System Information (msinfo32) via File > Print
Msinfo32's File > Print command outputs a comprehensive system report covering hardware, software, and components.
Question 3: When documenting Windows 98 troubleshooting steps as evidence of a systematic research process, which log file records startup events?
- Bootlog.txt generated when Windows 98 boots with /B switch or after a failed boot (Correct answer)
- System.ini change log
- Registry.bak difference report
- Autoexec.bat execution trace
Correct answer: Bootlog.txt generated when Windows 98 boots with /B switch or after a failed boot
Bootlog.txt records each driver and component loaded during startup, providing evidence of the boot process and any failures.
Question 4: Which approach best demonstrates evidence-based decision-making when choosing between upgrading RAM vs. adding virtual memory on a Windows 98 research workstation?
- Use System Monitor to measure physical memory usage under real workload before deciding (Correct answer)
- Always increase virtual memory first as it is free
- Add RAM only if the hard drive is full
- Check Device Manager for memory errors without load testing
Correct answer: Use System Monitor to measure physical memory usage under real workload before deciding
Measuring actual memory pressure under a real research workload with System Monitor provides objective evidence to guide the upgrade decision.
Question 5: A Windows 98 researcher needs to ensure version control of research documents without third-party software. Which built-in workaround best supports this?
- Saving dated copies manually (e.g., report_1998-08-05.doc) in versioned folders (Correct answer)
- Using Briefcase conflict resolution as a version tracker
- Enabling the Recycle Bin to retain all deleted versions
- Using DriveSpace snapshots for file versioning
Correct answer: Saving dated copies manually (e.g., report_1998-08-05.doc) in versioned folders
Windows 98 had no built-in version control; dated manual copies in organized folders was the standard evidence-preserving workaround.
Question 6: How does Windows 98's built-in Clipboard support research workflows when gathering evidence from multiple sources?
- It temporarily holds one item at a time for copy-paste between applications, supported by ClipBook Viewer for saving clips (Correct answer)
- It stores an unlimited history of all copied items automatically
- It encrypts clipboard content when moving between applications
- It syncs clipboard contents across networked Windows 98 machines automatically
Correct answer: It temporarily holds one item at a time for copy-paste between applications, supported by ClipBook Viewer for saving clips
The Clipboard held one item at a time, but ClipBook Viewer (clipbrd.exe) allowed saving named clipboard pages for reuse across sessions.
Question 7: Which Windows 98 Internet Explorer option should a researcher configure to ensure cached pages do not serve stale data when verifying online evidence?
- Tools > Internet Options > Temporary Internet Files > Check for newer versions 'Every visit to the page' (Correct answer)
- Increase the cache size to store more pages
- Disable all cookies to prevent tracking
- Set History to 0 days to clear old records
Correct answer: Tools > Internet Options > Temporary Internet Files > Check for newer versions 'Every visit to the page'
Setting IE to check for newer versions on every page visit ensures the browser fetches current content rather than serving outdated cached copies.
Microsoft Windows 98 Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5
Which Windows 98 feature allows a researcher to schedule automated backups of research data at off-peak hours?