50 Desktop Support Interview Questions

1) What is active directory?

Active directory authorizes and authenticates all users and computers in a window domain
network, ensuring the security of the computer and software. Through active directory
various functions can be managed like creating admin users, connecting to printers or
external hard drives.
2) What is DHCP and what it is used for?
DHCP stands for dynamic host configuration protocol. It is used to allocate IP addresses to a
large number of the computer system in a network. It helps in managing the large number of
IPs very easily.
3) What is scope and super scope?
Scope consists of an IP address like gateway IP, subnet mask, DNS server IP. It can be used to
communicate with the other PCs in the network. The superscope becomes when you combine
two or more scopes together.
4) What is DNS?
DNS mean Domain Naming Service and it is used for resolving IP addresses to name and
names to IP address. DNS is like a translator for computers, computers understand the
number and not the alphabet. For example, if we type like hotmail.com, the computer dont
understand this so they use DNS which converts (hotmail.com) into (numbers) and then
executes the command.
5) What is forward and reverse lookup in DNS?
When we convert IP address into names is called Reverse lookup, while converting names
into IP address is called Forward lookup.
6) What is A record and what is MX record?
A record is also known as host record, and it has ability to map the IP address by name. It is
with this record that DNS can find out the IP address of a name. While, MX record also
known as mail exchanger record, by the help of MX record, location of the mail server is
identified. The record is also found in DNS.
7) What is IPCONFIG command?
IPCONFIG command is used to display the IP information of the computer assigned like
DNS IP address and gateway IP address.

8) What would you use to connect two computers without using switches?
Cross cables are used to connect two computers without using switches.
9) What is a domain?
Domain is a set of computers which network recognizes by the internet. It can be used by
centrally administer computers. It is created when you install active directory.
10) Tell me if your system is infected by a virus how you will recover the data?
You need to re-install another system, latest anti-virus software and an O.S with latest
patches. Before you start your system, connect the infected HDD as a secondary drive then
scan and clean the infected hard drive. Once done, you can copy the files into the system.
11) What is the operating system?
Operating system acts as an interpreter between computer application and hardware. It works
as an user interface.
12) What are the types of operating system or O.S?
The two types of operating systems are:

NOS : Network Operating System. Examples of NOS- Windows NT, 2000,2003

SOS : Simple Operating System. Examples of SOS Windows 95,98, ME

13) Explain about RAS server?

RAS means Remote Access Server. It allows operating the tool or information that typically
resides on a network or IT devices through combination of hardware and software, for
example connecting to printer or file. It is usually used for mobile users who are in the
network. It uses telephone line to provide connectivity to its users. It can also connect two or
more than two offices in the network.
14) Explain about VPN server?
VPN means Virtual Private Network. It is a private communications network often used by
companies or organizations to communicate confidentially over a public network. This is
used by the mobile users in the network.
15) What is the difference between RAS and VPN server?
RAS is truly a local area connection between two connections whereas, VPN is a local
connection spread over large area.
16) What is IAS server?

IAS means Internet Authentication Service. For many types of network access like wireless,
authenticating switch and remote access dial-up they perform accounting and auditing,
centralized connection authentication and authorization.
17) What is Ping command?
Between two or more devices, to check the physical IP connectivity Ping command is used.
18) What do you mean by clustering? What are the benefits?
When one or more computers work together as a single system by sharing their resources is
known as clustering. The benefits of clustering are that it reduces the load on one single
system by sharing the load also it is used for redundancy of the services.
19) What is a group?
Group is a collection of the user account. It provides the simplified administration in the
network.
20) What is a child domain?
A child domain is the member domain of Windows 2000 Active Directory.
21) What are the benefits of a child domain?
Benefits of child domain are:

Low network traffic

Low administrative overhead

Security boundary

22) What is OU?

OU means for Organizational Unit. It is a container within Active Directory which can hold
users, groups and computers. It is the smallest unit on which administrator can assign group
policy settings.
23) Explain group policy?
Group policy provides the stream line access to all the users in the network; it can be used to
define the users security and networking policies. By group policy you can keep control over
certain function like not allowing the users to shut down the system or using the control panel
or running the command. Group policy is applicable on active directory container like OU,
site and Domain.
24) What is the difference between permission, rights and policy?

Policy is assigned on active directory, like site, domain and OU.

The Rights are As an Administrator can determine which user has the right to access those
devices.

whereas, the Permission - An Administrator has the ability to grant permissions to such things as
files, folders, printers, hard drives and many other devices including other computers.

25) What is DC and ADC stands for?

DC stands for domain controller and ADC stands for additional domain controller.
ADC is a backup of domain controller. Domain controller is a server that checks the
security measures like user id, password.
26) What is the difference between DC (Domain controller) and ADC ( Additional
Domain Controller)?
There is one difference between domain controller and additional domain controller, on DC
all five operational roles are available while in ADC only three operational role is available.
27) What are the operational roles for DC (Domain controller) and ADC ( Additional
Domain Controller)?
Operational roles for DC (Domain controller) are:

Domain Naming Master

Schema Master

RID Master

PDC Emulator

Infrastructure Master

Operational roles for ADC (Additional Domain Controller) are:

PDC Emulator

RID Master

Infrastructure Master

28) What is a Default Gateway?

Default gateway is the IP address of the router in the network. In any case, if the users wants
to switch on to another network, or if they cannot locate their particular network than their
query will be forwarded to default gateway.

29) How you can take backup of emails in ms outlook?

To take a back-up in the ms outlook, you have to go in control panel. In control panel you
have to go under mail option and then open the data file, select personal folder and click on
open folder. After that, you have to copy .pst and have to paste it wherever you want the
backup.
30) What is trusting domain and trusted domain?
In trusting domain resources are available, while in trusted domain users account is
available.
31) What is BUS speed?
The rate of communication speed between microprocessor and RAM is known as BUS speed.
32) Name the Active Directory Partitions?
There are three types of active directory partitions

Schema partition

Configuration partition

Domain partition

33) What is Fixboot?

Fixboot write a new partition boot sector on to the system partition.
34) How many logical drive is it possible to fit on to a physical disk?
The maximum number of the logical drive that can fit on a physical disk is 24, while the
extended partition can only have 23 logical drives.
35) What is B Router?
B router means Bridge router. To provide communication between two or more different
network like computer to computer or computer to internet, B Router is used.
36) What is the major difference you can mention about Gateway and Router?
Gateway works on different network architecture and router works on same network
architecture.
37) What is packet?
A packet is a logical grouping of information that comprises a header which contains user
data and location information.

38) What is SCSI?

SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface. It is a standard electronic interface that
allows personal computers to communicate with peripheral hardware such as disk drives, tape
drives, printers, CD-ROM drives. In SCSI the rate of data transmission is fast.
39) How many classes are there for IP addresses and what are the ranges?
They are segregated into five classes
1. Class A ===

0 -126 ( 127 is reserved for loop back)

2. Class B ====

128- 191

3. Class C ====

192-223

4. Class D ==== 224-239

5. Class E ==== 240-255
40) Explain the term FIXMBR?
FIXMBR it is a repair tool. It repairs the Master boot record of the Partition Boot Sector.
41) Explain the term SID?
SID stands for Security Identifier. Every computer object has a unique ID which is known as
SID.
42) What is the difference between incremental backup and differential backup?
In incremental backup only incremental parts are backup and not the full back up, while in
differential backup we take full back up after the normal backup.
43) What is the difference between server OS and desktop OS?
Server OS gives centralized administration for users, shared resources and security while
desktop OS gives access to only local administration.
44) What is the difference between the MSI file and .EXE file?
MSI (Microsoft Installer) allows install, uninstall and repair the program with a single file,
while .EXE file needs two files to install and uninstall the software. Also,.EXE file is able to
detect the existing version of the software and give option to user to uninstall the program
while MSI will instruct the users to use the add and remove program in control panel to
remove the existing product first and then you can install the new program.
45) What is BSOD? How do you troubleshoot it?

BSOD stands for blue screen of death. When there is some fault in OS or hardware then
Windows cant run the program and gives a blue screen with a code. To resolve this problem
the best way is to reboot the system. If it doesnt work than boot the system in the safe mode.
46) What is PTR (Program Trouble Record) record?
PTR record is used to check if the server name is connected with the IP address, it is exactly
opposite to the A record. This record is basically created in reverse lookup zone, so it is also
known as Reverse DNS records or pointer record.
PTR record= Give me an IP address and I will give you the name
A record= Give me the name and I will give you the IP address
47) What is reservation?
Basically the term Reservation is used in DHCP server. Some network equipment or
computer system needs a specific IP address, in such case we make a reservation in DHCP
server for that particular computer system. By creating reservation it gives access to that
particular IP address and at the same time prevents other computer system to use that IP
address.
48) What is SMTP server or POP server?
SMTP stands for simple mail transfer protocol. It is basically used for sending and receiving
the mail, whereas, POP stands for post office protocol it is used for mail receiving purpose in
the network.
49) What is RIS and why you use RIS?
RIS stands for remote installation services. It is used to install image from a Window server
to a new hardware. We use RIS because installing OS every time using a CD would be more
time consuming.
50) What is Bootloader?
Bootloader facilitates the loading of operating system on the system. It enables the booting
process and gives OS option to the users while starting the system.