Dashboard/core 2/Study
Operating Systems

Study Guide

Operating Systems is the largest domain on Core 2 at 28%. You need to know Windows editions and features, installation methods, CLI tools (ipconfig, chkdsk, sfc), Task Manager, Event Viewer, macOS and Linux basics, mobile OS concepts, and file system types (NTFS, FAT32, ext4, APFS).

1Windows Editions and Features

Windows 10/11 Home is for consumers. Pro adds BitLocker, domain joining, and Group Policy. Enterprise has all Pro features plus DirectAccess and AppLocker. Windows Update delivers patches. Windows Defender provides built-in antivirus. User Account Control (UAC) prompts for admin privileges.

Examples:

•BitLocker encrypts the entire drive — only available in Pro and Enterprise
•Group Policy lets administrators manage settings across all domain-joined PCs
•UAC prompts prevent unauthorized changes — always use a standard account for daily use
2Windows CLI Tools

Command-line tools are heavily tested on the exam. ipconfig displays network configuration. chkdsk checks disk integrity. sfc /scannow scans and repairs system files. netstat shows active connections. tasklist/taskkill manage processes. gpupdate forces Group Policy refresh. diskpart manages disks and partitions.

Examples:

•ipconfig /release and /renew — get a new IP from DHCP
•sfc /scannow — scans all protected system files and replaces corrupted ones
•chkdsk /f — fixes errors on the disk; /r locates bad sectors and recovers data
•taskkill /IM notepad.exe /F — forcefully ends all notepad processes
3macOS and Linux

macOS uses Disk Utility for disk management, Terminal for CLI, Keychain for password storage, and Time Machine for backups. Linux uses package managers (apt, yum, dnf), file permissions (chmod, chown), text editors (nano, vim), and service management (systemctl). Both are commonly found in enterprise environments.

Examples:

•macOS Disk Utility can verify and repair disk permissions and file systems
•chmod 755 file.txt — owner can read/write/execute, group and others can read/execute
•sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade — updates package lists and upgrades all packages on Debian/Ubuntu
•systemctl start nginx — starts the nginx web server service on systemd-based Linux
4File Systems

NTFS is the Windows standard — supports permissions, encryption, and large files. FAT32 is cross-platform but has a 4GB file size limit. exFAT is FAT32 without the size limit, good for USB drives. ext4 is the Linux standard. APFS is Apple's modern file system. ReFS is Microsoft's resilient file system for servers.

Examples:

•FAT32 cannot store files larger than 4GB — not suitable for modern video files
•NTFS supports file-level permissions and encryption (EFS)
•exFAT is ideal for USB flash drives that need to work between Windows and macOS
5OS Installation Methods

Clean install: wipe and install fresh. Upgrade: install over existing OS keeping files. Image deployment: deploy a pre-configured image (sysprep + WIM). Recovery partition: built-in restore option. Network boot (PXE): install OS over the network. Multiboot: multiple OSes on one machine using separate partitions.

Examples:

•A clean install is recommended when a system is infected with malware
•sysprep generalizes a Windows image so it can be deployed to multiple machines
•GPT is required for UEFI boot; MBR is used with legacy BIOS
Test-Taking Tips
Memorize the key CLI tools: ipconfig, chkdsk, sfc, netstat, tasklist, gpupdate, diskpart.
NTFS supports permissions and large files. FAT32 has a 4GB file size limit. exFAT is the middle ground.
Know the difference between GPT and MBR — GPT supports larger drives and is required for UEFI.
Always check the boot method (UEFI vs BIOS) when troubleshooting OS installation issues.