A+ 1102 Operating Systems Notes Index

  1. Desktop Operating Systems

  2. Mobile Device Operating Systems

  3. Windows OS Overview & Editions

  4. Installation Requirements

  5. OS Boot & Installation Methods

  6. Partitioning & File Systems

  7. Post-Installation Tasks

  8. Windows Client Network Configuration

Desktop Operating System Notes Outline:

  • An operating system (OS) controls hardware, manages applications, provides features, and allows communication between software and hardware.

  • 32-bit OS: Max memory ~4GB, compatible with x86 processors.

  • 64-bit OS: Larger memory support, compatible only with x64 processors.

  • Applications can be written for 32-bit, 64-bit, or both.

  • Types of Desktop OS:

    • Windows (10, 11)

    • macOS

    • Linux (various distros)

  • User interfaces:

    • CLI (Command Line Interface)

    • GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Mobile Device Operating Systems

  • Use ARM-based processors (Advanced RISC Machine)

    • Focused on power and thermal efficiency.

  • Apple M1 (Apple), Snapdragon (Qualcomm)

  • Types:

    • iOS, iPadOS (Apple)

    • Android (open source on Unix kernel)

    • ChromeOS (Google, web-based, great for education)

  • Often pre-installed, optimized for mobile hardware.

Windows OS Overview & Editions

  • Windows 10: Released 2015, support until 10/14/2025

    • Editions: Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, Enterprise, Education, Pro Education

  • Windows 11: Released 2021

    • Editions: Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise

  • Feature differences:

    • Home: No RDP, no AD domain join

    • Pro/Enterprise: RDP, AD join, BitLocker, more CPU/memory support

Installation Requirements

Windows 10:

  • Processor: 1GHz+, 32-bit or 64-bit

  • RAM: 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit)

  • Storage: 16GB (32-bit), 20GB (64-bit)

  • Graphics: DirectX9+ w/ WDDM 1.0

  • Display: 800x600

Windows 11:

  • Processor: 1GHz+, 64-bit, dual-core+

  • RAM: 4GB+

  • Storage: 64GB+

  • TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, DirectX12 GPU, 720p+ display

Linux (Ubuntu):

  • Processor: 2GHz+, dual-core

  • RAM: 4GB

  • Storage: 25GB

  • USB/DVD installer

macOS Monterey:

  • RAM: 4GB+

  • Storage: 35.5GB+

  • Apple hardware only

OS Boot & Installation Methods

  • Bare metal machine: No OS pre-installed

Installation Types:

  1. Clean Install – Format drive, fresh install

  2. Upgrade Install – Retains data/settings

  3. Repair Install – Fixes current installation

Boot Methods:

  • USB

  • DVD

  • Network/Internet

Partitioning & File Systems

Partitioning:

  • Logical division of a storage device

  • MBR: Legacy, 4 partitions, 2TB limit

  • GPT: Modern, more partitions, >2TB support

Disk Configuration:

  • Disk Management → Locate drive → New Simple Volume Wizard

File Systems:

  • NTFS (Windows): Permissions, encryption, compression

  • ReFS (Windows Server): Resilience & fault-tolerance

  • EXT4 (Linux): POSIX permissions

  • APFS (macOS): Optimized for SSDs

  • HFS+ (macOS legacy)

  • FAT32: Legacy, 4GB file limit

  • exFAT: Cross-platform (Windows, macOS), SD cards, USBs

  • ACL (Access Control Lists): File permission system available on all major OSs

Additional Research:

  1. Max file sizes for each file system

  2. Further OS file system comparisons

Post-Installation Tasks

  1. Set country/region

  2. Set keyboard layout(s)

  3. Create user account (local or Microsoft)

  4. Configure privacy/security settings

  5. Setup Cortana (optional)

  6. Connect to Internet (updates & image finalization)

  7. Install updates → Settings → Update & Security

  8. Name device → Settings → System → About → Rename PC

  9. Restart after updates

  10. Confirm drivers in Device Manager

  11. Repair drivers (update, reinstall, scan)

  12. Enable BitLocker (Pro/Enterprise): Control Panel → BitLocker

  13. Enable EFS (file-level encryption): File/Folder → Properties → Advanced

macOS Post-Install Tasks:

  • Set region, keyboard, Apple ID

  • System Preferences → Updates, Privacy & Security

  • Enable FileVault encryption

  • Rename device in System Preferences → Sharing

  • Most drivers managed automatically

Windows Client Network Configuration

Network Adapter:

  • Hardware that connects a device to a network

  • Test via Taskbar tray or Device Manager

Settings Navigation:

  • Settings → Network & Internet → Properties

  • Control Panel → Network & Sharing Center

DHCP vs Static IP:

  • DHCP: Auto IP assignment

  • Static: Manually configured IP, subnet, gateway, DNS

Protocols: IPv4, IPv6, APIPA (169.254.x.x fallback)

Network Discovery:

  • Enables visibility on local network

  • Turn on/off in Sharing Center

Domain Setup:

  • Settings → About → Advanced System Settings → Change Computer Name

  • Join domain (username/password), restart

  • FQDN: desktop01.domain-name.com

Local User Creation:

  • Settings → Accounts → Other Users → Add user (Microsoft or Local)

Remote Desktop / Assistance:

  • Enabled via Advanced System Settings → Remote Tab

  • RDP: Pro/Enterprise only

Firewall Settings:

  • wf.msc → Opens Windows Defender Firewall w/ Advanced Security

  • Manage inbound/outbound rules, connection rules, and monitoring

End of Operating Systems Notes (Current Progress: 8 Sections Completed)

More sections to be added as lectures are completed.

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A+ 1102 Security Fundamentals