CompTIA+ Boot Error Troubleshooting and Diagnostic Techniques Quiz

1. What are the most common reasons for boot failures?

None of the devices in the CMOS are set to bootable

A non bootable floppy in the diskette drive

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Boot Failure and Errors Card 1

CMOS is not properly configured to boot from the correct device

2. What is the common cause of an Invalid boot disk error?

Understanding Operating Systems - Basics of MBR and Boot Sectors

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Invalid Boot Disk Card 2

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Invalid Boot Disk Card 1

Common Hardware Failures - A Disk Drive Crash

3. What should be done if encountering an 'Invalid Boot disk (Cont...)' error message?

Check if the keyboard is properly connected to the system.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Invalid Boot disk (cont.) Card 3

Update the system BIOS to the latest version.

Run a disk defragmentation utility on the hard disk drive.

4. What can cause the error 'inaccessible boot device' on a computer?

Corrupt Windows registry

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Inaccessible boot device Card 4

Overheating CPU

Faulty RAM modules

5. What is the recommended troubleshooting step for an 'Inaccessible boot device' error?

Delete & recreate all partitions and format the drive to delete any possible viruses.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Inaccessible boot device (cont.) Card 5

Recreate the MBR using FDISK / mbr.

The recommended troubleshooting step for an 'Inaccessible boot device' error is to try a repair or reinstallation of the operating system. This can help resolve any software issues that may be causing the error.

Explanation

The recommended troubleshooting step for an 'Inaccessible boot device' error is to try a repair or reinstallation of the operating system. This can help resolve any software issues that may be causing the error.

6. What error message may be encountered when the system is booted (turned on) due to missing or corrupt NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, or Boot.ini files?

System Errors and Solutions - Fixing NTLDR Boot Issues

Windows Error Codes and Solutions - NTLDR Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshooting Common Operating System Errors - NTLDR Recovery Methods

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Missing NTLDR Card 6

The correct answer provided refers to a specific resource for resolving the missing or corrupt NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, or Boot.ini files error that may occur during system booting. The incorrect answers do not specifically address this particular error message or provide relevant guidance for troubleshooting the issue.

Explanation

The correct answer provided refers to a specific resource for resolving the missing or corrupt NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, or Boot.ini files error that may occur during system booting. The incorrect answers do not specifically address this particular error message or provide relevant guidance for troubleshooting the issue.

7. What is the appropriate troubleshooting and solution for a 'Missing NTLDR' error?

Ignore the error and continue to use the computer as normal.

Reformat the hard drive and reinstall the operating system.

Restart the computer multiple times to see if the issue resolves on its own.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Missing NTLDR (cont.) Card 7

8. What are the correct steps to resolve a 'Bad or missing command interpreter' error on a Windows system?

Reinstall the operating system from scratch.

Delete all system files and reinstall Windows.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Bad or missing command interpreter (cont.) Card 9

Run a disk defragmentation utility to fix the error.

The correct steps to resolve a 'Bad or missing command interpreter' error involve backing up the current MSDOS.SYS file, using the SYS command from the Startup Disk to transfer system files, and replacing the new MSDOS.SYS file with the backup copy. Reinstalling the operating system from scratch, deleting all system files, or running a disk defragmentation utility are not the recommended solutions for this specific error.

Explanation

The correct steps to resolve a 'Bad or missing command interpreter' error involve backing up the current MSDOS.SYS file, using the SYS command from the Startup Disk to transfer system files, and replacing the new MSDOS.SYS file with the backup copy. Reinstalling the operating system from scratch, deleting all system files, or running a disk defragmentation utility are not the recommended solutions for this specific error.

9. During the loading of the operating system, startup error messages are generated in case of missing critical files, device driver conflicts, or configuration conflicts. Which of the following is a startup error message that indicates a problem in Config.sys file at a specific line?

Missing or corrupt Himem.sys

Himem.sys not loaded

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Error in Config.sys line xxx Card 10

Device/service has failed to start

The correct answer refers to an error in the Config.sys file at a specific line, indicating a configuration issue. The other incorrect answers do not specifically relate to a configuration problem in the Config.sys file.

Explanation

The correct answer refers to an error in the Config.sys file at a specific line, indicating a configuration issue. The other incorrect answers do not specifically relate to a configuration problem in the Config.sys file.

10. What does Himem.sys do for a computer system?

Optimize the computer's graphics performance.

Protect the system against malware attacks.

Allow for faster internet browsing.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Himem.sys not loaded Card 11

Himem.sys acts as an extended memory manager and coordinates the use of extended memory including the high memory area (HMA). It also allows part of DOS to be loaded into the first 64K block of extended memory known as HMA.

Explanation

Himem.sys acts as an extended memory manager and coordinates the use of extended memory including the high memory area (HMA). It also allows part of DOS to be loaded into the first 64K block of extended memory known as HMA.

11. What is the recommended solution for resolving the 'Himem.sys not loaded (Cont...)' issue in Windows 3.0?

Restart the computer and hope the issue resolves itself.

Run a disk defragmentation to fix the missing HIMEM.sys file.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Himem.sys not loaded (cont.) Card 12

Delete the HIMEM.sys file and reinstall Windows 3.0 from scratch.

The correct solution for resolving the 'Himem.sys not loaded (Cont...)' issue in Windows 3.0 is to restore the HIMEM.sys file using the EXPAND.EXE utility from DISK 3. This method replaces the faulty file with a good copy, addressing the root cause of the problem.

Explanation

The correct solution for resolving the 'Himem.sys not loaded (Cont...)' issue in Windows 3.0 is to restore the HIMEM.sys file using the EXPAND.EXE utility from DISK 3. This method replaces the faulty file with a good copy, addressing the root cause of the problem.

12. What is the most common reason for the error message 'Missing Himem.sys' in Windows 95 & 98?

Overheating CPU

Corrupted registry files

Outdated device drivers

The error message 'Missing Himem.sys' in Windows 95 & 98 is commonly due to the reference to the Himem.sys file in Config.sys being located other than C:\Windows or hardware memory issues.

Explanation

The error message 'Missing Himem.sys' in Windows 95 & 98 is commonly due to the reference to the Himem.sys file in Config.sys being located other than C:\Windows or hardware memory issues.

13. Missing or corrupt Himem.sys (Cont...) Click on the image to zoom

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Missing or corrupt Himem.sys (cont.) Card 14

Error Code 404: Page Not Found

Blue Screen of Death: KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR

System Crash: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

The correct answer refers to a specific troubleshooting method for handling a missing or corrupt Himem.sys file, while the incorrect answers are unrelated error codes and issues.

Explanation

The correct answer refers to a specific troubleshooting method for handling a missing or corrupt Himem.sys file, while the incorrect answers are unrelated error codes and issues.

14. What steps should be taken to identify whether the missing or corrupt Himem.sys is caused due to hardware issues or file corruption?

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Missing or corrupt Himem.sys (cont.) Card 15

Restart the computer and pray for a miracle fix

Reinstall the operating system without troubleshooting hardware

Ignore the issue and continue using the computer despite errors

15. Device/service has failed to start Sometimes when the operating system is loading it might encounter an error saying that a device could not be loaded or a service could not be started and would give a blue screen and not move any further. The error might say 'Windows failed to start because was not found' or it could be an IRQL error with junk characters. The device errors are caused due to device conflicts or due to usage of incompatible drivers. And the Service errors are caused due to newly installed software's or due to missing files or corrupted Windows. In most of the cases Windows should be able to boot to any of the advanced start up modes: safe mode, safe mode with command prompt etc. Once in Safe Mode, use the MSConfig utility to disable all the services except the critical ones. The system should work fine even with non-critical services disabled, it should be noted that in most cases the system might have an anti-Virus software installed on it. The Anti-Virus SW service may need to be enabled. Note: In case of Windows XP, all the services can be disabled once you have a check mark on hide all Microsoft services under the services tab.

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Incorrect answer 2

Incorrect answer 3

Incorrect answer 1

16. What can be done if a device or service has failed to start?

C. Remove any recently added hardware

A. Update the computer's BIOS

B. Reinstall the operating system

D. Check the power supply unit

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Device / service has failed to start (cont.) Card 17

The correct answer is related to specific diagnostic procedures for CompTIA A+ certification. Updating the BIOS, reinstalling the operating system, and checking the power supply unit are generic troubleshooting steps that may not directly address the issue of a failed device or service starting.

Explanation

The correct answer is related to specific diagnostic procedures for CompTIA A+ certification. Updating the BIOS, reinstalling the operating system, and checking the power supply unit are generic troubleshooting steps that may not directly address the issue of a failed device or service starting.

17. Which file is used to store user and program settings in earlier versions of Windows?

SYSTEM.INI

CONFIG.SYS

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - A device in SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, Registry is not found Card 18

Registry

18. A device in SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, Registry is not found (Cont...)

Reinstalling device drivers is not necessary to resolve the device not found error.

Device settings in Windows have been accidentally deleted causing device not found errors.

The device not found error is always due to hardware device failure.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - A device in SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, Registry is not found (cont.) Card 19

The correct answer explains that the device settings may still remain in Windows even if the device is uninstalled, and they can be removed from Win.ini, System.ini, and registry. Reinstalling device drivers is essential in some cases, and the error can also be caused by hardware device failure.

Explanation

The correct answer explains that the device settings may still remain in Windows even if the device is uninstalled, and they can be removed from Win.ini, System.ini, and registry. Reinstalling device drivers is essential in some cases, and the error can also be caused by hardware device failure.

19. What utility is used to view, monitor, and manage the events collected on the event log in Windows systems?

Control Panel

Device Manager

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Event Viewer - Event ?Log is full Card 20

Task Manager

Event Viewer is the correct tool used to view, monitor, and manage event logs in Windows systems. Task Manager is used to monitor system performance, Device Manager is used to manage hardware devices, and Control Panel is used to adjust system settings.

Explanation

Event Viewer is the correct tool used to view, monitor, and manage event logs in Windows systems. Task Manager is used to monitor system performance, Device Manager is used to manage hardware devices, and Control Panel is used to adjust system settings.

20. Event Viewer - Event Log is full (Cont...)

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Event ?Log is full (cont.) Card 21

Windows 10 Troubleshooting - Event Log Overflow Issue - Card 45.

Event Viewer - Event Log is full - What to do next? Card 12.

Dealing with Full Event Logs - System and Security Logs - Card 32.

The correct answer provides the specific resource to study further about the error message related to Event Log being full in the context of CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities. The incorrect answers are not directly related to the specific topic or resource mentioned in the question.

Explanation

The correct answer provides the specific resource to study further about the error message related to Event Log being full in the context of CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities. The incorrect answers are not directly related to the specific topic or resource mentioned in the question.

21. Failure to Start GUI - Sometimes the Windows does not boot to the GUI after it finishes loading. In such cases, what should be the next troubleshooting step to resolve the issue?

Reinstall the Windows operating system.

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Hardware troubleshooting like checking the RAM or hard drive.

Run a disk cleanup utility to fix the issue.

The correct troubleshooting step after a system restart for failure to start GUI is to try the Windows advanced startup options. This can help in resolving issues related to the explorer file.

Explanation

The correct troubleshooting step after a system restart for failure to start GUI is to try the Windows advanced startup options. This can help in resolving issues related to the explorer file.

22. What can be done in case of failure to start GUI on a Windows operating system?

Run a disk defragmentation tool.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Failure to start GUI (cont.) Card 23

Reinstall all software applications.

Restart the computer and try again.

In case of failure to start GUI on a Windows operating system, pressing the F8 key before the Windows logo to bring up the Windows advanced options screen and using utilities like Scanreg for Windows 98 or rstrui.exe for Windows XP can help troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue. If these steps do not work, an operating system reinstallation may be required.

Explanation

In case of failure to start GUI on a Windows operating system, pressing the F8 key before the Windows logo to bring up the Windows advanced options screen and using utilities like Scanreg for Windows 98 or rstrui.exe for Windows XP can help troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue. If these steps do not work, an operating system reinstallation may be required.

23. What is a Windows Protection Error?

A warning message displayed when low memory is detected by the system

An error related to outdated software incompatible with the current Windows version

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Windows Protection Error Card 24

A virus that infects Windows operating systems causing it to crash

Windows Protection Error is a specific error message given by the operating system when it encounters issues while performing certain tasks. It can be caused by various factors, including conflicts between drivers, physical I/O address conflicts, incorrect CMOS settings, and damaged registry files or system files. These errors require troubleshooting and diagnostic tools to resolve.

Explanation

Windows Protection Error is a specific error message given by the operating system when it encounters issues while performing certain tasks. It can be caused by various factors, including conflicts between drivers, physical I/O address conflicts, incorrect CMOS settings, and damaged registry files or system files. These errors require troubleshooting and diagnostic tools to resolve.

24. What is the common cause of a Windows Protection Error?

If the Plug and Play feature of the BIOS is not working correctly.

A virus infection.

If the computer's motherboard is not working properly.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Windows Protection Error (cont.) Card 25

25. What steps can be taken to address a Windows Protection Error?

Update the computer's operating system to the latest version.

Ignore the error and continue using the computer as normal.

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Windows Protection Error (cont.) Card 26

Restart the computer and hope that the error resolves itself.

26. What are some common errors that can cause Invalid Page Fault and Illegal Operation errors?

Understanding Windows Registry

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Optimizing System Performance

Hardware Troubleshooting Guide

27. What are some of the most common reasons for Registry corruption?

Low system memory; Network connectivity issues; Overheating of the CPU.

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28. What are some of the most common reasons for Registry corruption?

Expired software licenses, Overheating of hardware components, Incorrect shutdown procedures

Cache memory overload, BIOS settings misconfiguration, Network firewall breach

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Registry Corruption (cont.) Card 29

Outdated operating system, Incompatible file formats, Poor network connectivity

Registry corruption can occur due to various reasons such as newly installed applications or drivers, recent software or driver un-installation, new hardware installations, hardware failure, user changes to registry, copying other system registries, power failure, and viruses. The incorrect answers do not directly relate to common causes of Registry corruption.

Explanation

Registry corruption can occur due to various reasons such as newly installed applications or drivers, recent software or driver un-installation, new hardware installations, hardware failure, user changes to registry, copying other system registries, power failure, and viruses. The incorrect answers do not directly relate to common causes of Registry corruption.

29. What is the best practice to avoid being affected by registry failures?

CompTIA+ Error Codes and Diagnostic Utilities - Registry Corruption (cont.) Card 30

Increasing RAM capacity

Disabling antivirus software during system updates

Regularly running disk defragmentation

Regularly backing up the registry hives is the best practice to prevent registry failures. Disk defragmentation, increasing RAM capacity, and disabling antivirus software are not directly related to avoiding registry failures.

Explanation

Regularly backing up the registry hives is the best practice to prevent registry failures. Disk defragmentation, increasing RAM capacity, and disabling antivirus software are not directly related to avoiding registry failures.