How to Install and Upgrade Windows 8

  • 4/15/2013
Contents

Answers

This section contains the solutions to the thought experiments and answers to the objective review questions in this chapter.

Objective 1.1: Thought experiment

  1. Because you don’t need the 64-bit Windows version, you need only the 32-bit (x86) Windows 8 installation media—unless, of course, you will want to upgrade the computers to 4 GB or more of memory in the future. You also need Windows 8 compatible drivers for all your hardware and software installers that are compatible with Windows 8.

  2. You need to install Windows 8 Enterprise because only this edition of the operating system supports BranchCache.

Objective 1.1: Review

  1. Correct answer: D

    1. Incorrect: Although the 64-bit version of Windows 8 can handle numbers larger than 65,536 on its own and memory addressing above 4 GB, you also need to have 64-bit software installed to take advantage of this extra functionality. Using 32-bit software still can address only the same memory and perform the same calculations as a 32-bit version of the Windows operating system.

    2. Incorrect: Although the 64-bit version of Excel, when paired with the 64-bit version of Windows 8, can handle more than 256 columns required, the plug-ins won’t work if they’re not coded specifically to work with the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office.

    3. Incorrect: You can’t install any 64-bit application in the 32-bit Windows version, not even in compatibility mode. Attempting to install 64-bit software in a 32-bit operating system will report an error that the software is incompatible.

    4. Correct: The workers in the accounting department will have the facilities they need only if the operating system, version of Microsoft Office, and all required Office plug-ins are all coded for 64-bit processors.

  2. Correct answer: D

    1. Incorrect: Although many software packages that run on Windows Vista will run on Windows 8 without incident, the Windows 8 installer doesn’t support migration of any software from Windows Vista. It will allow you to migrate only user settings, accounts, and files.

    2. Incorrect: Although you can perform a clean installation on each workstation, doing so isn’t absolutely necessary because upgrading to Windows 8 from Windows Vista supports all user accounts, settings, and documents and only your software will need reinstalling.

    3. Incorrect: Although a few changes that have been made to the Windows operating system since Windows Vista means some software won’t work with Windows 8, this situation will arise very rarely. Almost every piece of software that runs on Windows Vista will run on Windows 8.

    4. Correct: The Windows 8 installer allows you to migrate your user accounts, settings, and files from Windows Vista. It is only your software that needs reinstalling afterward when performing an in-place upgrade.

  3. Correct answers: A, C, and D

    1. Correct: No hardware drivers that worked with Windows XP will work with Windows 8 because the hardware driver model was changed completely with Windows Vista. Thus, you will need new drivers for all your hardware.

    2. Incorrect: When the hardware driver model changed with Windows Vista, this change included all drivers, including those attached to a computer via USB. The USB attachment doesn’t guarantee that all external devices operate the same way. While this might be generally true for some devices such as external hard disks, so many different device types can be attached via USB that the USB driver system itself can’t provide hardware compatibility with all devices.

    3. Correct: Microsoft provides an online device compatibility database that you can access at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/win8/CompatCenter/Home?Language=en-US. This database details every device that is certified for use on a Windows computer. If your device doesn’t appear in this list, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t work; it simply might not have been submitted for compatibility testing.

    4. Correct: Although many software packages that worked in Windows XP will also work in Windows 8, much of the core operating system architecture has changed between the two operating systems and many functions called by software in Windows XP no longer exist or have changed radically since. This means that some software will need to be run in a virtualized Windows XP environment because Windows 8 compatibility mode can’t maintain full compatibility where Windows features are missing or have changed.

  4. Correct answer: C

    1. Incorrect: The User Account Control is activated when software is installed, at which time its UAC permissions are set. If a user permits software to install, the UAC will give it the appropriate permissions in Windows 8.

    2. Incorrect: A Cannot Write to File error means that the software is trying to access a protected part of the Windows file system. Running the program in compatibility mode won’t rectify this problem because allowing older software to access protected Windows files in this way would compromise the operating system’s security.

    3. Correct: Windows Resource Protection (WRP) is a security feature designed specifically to protect write access to critical operating system files and folders. This error is the only one ever generated by WRP.

    4. Incorrect: Technically, you can get this error inside Hyper-V if you install a copy of Windows 8 into a virtual machine and then install legacy software into that. This is unlikely, however, and not the answer sought for this question.

Objective 1.2: Thought experiment

  1. If the software is bespoke and doesn’t get upgraded, when computers come to be reinstalled or when new computers are bought, the software won’t have changed. The best way to deploy this software, then—assuming it’s not too large—is by using SysPrep so that it is already installed on any new Windows 8 systems installed from a custom image.

  1. To create a custom image, you need three computers: a technician computer; a target computer, which is a typical computer broadly representing the computers in the office; and a test computer. You also need a USB flash drive for your Windows PE boot loader and an external USB hard disk or network storage location for the image storage.

  2. You need to use the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) provided in the Windows 8 ADK. If you use the Key Management Services (KMS), each computer will need to be activated (and reactivated every 180 days) through a server. The only available server is only a file server, which might not have the installed software you need to run the KMS service.

Objective 1.2: Review

  1. Correct answer: B

    1. Incorrect: You can perform clean installations, but you also can upgrade each computer so that the ones running Windows 7 will keep all their current software. On the Windows XP computers, the software, operating system, and hardware drivers are all replaced during an upgrade, effectively making this a clean install anyway, but performing the same installation method on every machine simplifies the overall process.

    2. Correct: This is the best option because it will keep any Windows 7 software in place and effectively perform a clean installation on the XP computers. Performing the same installation method on all computers simplifies the overall process.

    3. Incorrect: Like with answer A, you can perform clean installations but you also can upgrade each computer so that the ones running Windows 7 will keep all their current software. On the Windows XP computers, the software, operating system, and hardware drivers are all replaced during an upgrade, effectively making this a clean install anyway, but performing the same installation method on every machine simplifies the overall process.

    4. Incorrect: This can’t be done. Because you need to upgrade existing computers, you can’t migrate the user data to any new computers.

  2. Correct answer: D

    1. Incorrect: The 32-bit (x86) tools support creation of only a 32-bit Windows PE disc.

    2. Incorrect: You can use the 64-bit tools to create a Windows PE disc compatible with both 64-bit and 32-bit operating systems. Creating a second Windows PE disc isn’t necessary.

    3. Incorrect: No x64 tools are supplied; the tools for 64-bit operating systems are all labeled amd64.

    4. Correct: The x64 tools support installations of both the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8 editions.

  3. Correct answer: A

    1. Correct: /audit is the correct command-line switch to restart the computer in a mode in which you can continue modifying the installation before sealing it for capture.

    2. Incorrect: No /restart switch is available for use with the SysPrep tool.

    3. Incorrect: The /generalize switch seals the current configuration and prepares it for capture. You would need to open SysPrep again after the reboot if this switch is used accidentally.

    4. Incorrect: The /oobe switch restarts the computer in Out of Box Experience mode, which is what users see when they first turn on a new computer. You can’t capture the image if you use this switch.

  4. Correct answer: C

    1. Incorrect: The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool is used to service offline images that already exist. It can’t be used to create new images.

    2. Incorrect: You can use the SysPrep tool to make changes to the default Windows installation before capture. It can’t be used to capture the image itself.

    3. Correct: ImageX is the command-line tool used to capture disc images.

    4. Incorrect: The DiskPart tool configures the hard disks and other storage on a computer before deployment of the operating system.

  5. Correct answer: D

    1. Incorrect: While this is the correct command-line tool to use to check the activation status of the Windows operating system, you can also see the activation status from the System panel in the main control panel.

    2. Incorrect: This is an incorrect format for the command; the /license switch doesn’t exist. You can also check the activation status from the System panel in the main control panel.

    3. Incorrect: This format is incorrect for the command; the /license switch doesn’t exist.

    4. Correct: This is the correct use of the command-line tool. You can also check activation status in the Control Panel.

Objective 1.3: Thought experiment

  1. This statement is true because you can use the Encrypting File System (EFS) to encrypt files on the server and then read them on a remote computer if the user has a copy of the correct EFS key to decrypt them. Unlike BitLocker, EFS encryption is an encryption method tied to the file rather than the drive.

  2. This statement is also true. You can have the Sync Center automatically encrypt offline files synced with the target computer using EFS by clicking the Manage Offline Files option in the Sync Center.

Objective 1.3: Review

  1. Correctanswer: B

    1. Incorrect: The \support\wet folder doesn’t exist on the Windows 8 installation media.

    2. Correct: The \support\migwiz folder on the Windows 8 installation media includes the Windows Easy Transfer tool.

    3. Incorrect: The \support\migration folder doesn’t exist on the Windows 8 installation media.

    4. Incorrect: The \sources\migwiz folder doesn’t exist on the Windows 8 installation media.

  2. Correct answer: C

    1. Incorrect: The custom.xml file allows you to create custom XML files that can migrate additional files and data, such as a line-of-business (LOB) application, or to modify the default migration behavior.

    2. Incorrect: No exclude.xml file exists.

    3. Correct: The config.xml file specifies items to exclude from a migration.

    4. Incorrect: The migdocs.xml specifies which documents are migrated. Although not all document locations need to be included, it can’t be used specifically to exclude items from a migration.

  3. Correct answer: C

    1. Incorrect: The LoadState command doesn’t have a /createuser switch.

    2. Incorrect: The LoadState command doesn’t have a /lua switch.

    3. Correct: You need to use /lac (local account create) and /lae (local account enable) to successfully create a new user account using the LoadState command-line tool.

    4. Incorrect: Although the /lac switch will create a user account, you also need to enable the account by using the /lae switch.

  4. Correct answer: B

    1. Incorrect: In a way, this was a trick answer. To best see the files you have synched with a server, it’s best to add them to a library. If you said this answer was necessary, you have identified an important part of the process.

    2. Correct: You need to make the networked files available offline by right-clicking the network folder and selecting Make Available Offine from the options that appear.

    3. Incorrect: Performing the action described in answer B automatically creates a new Sync Partnership. Although it is possible to create the sync partnership, you first need to make the folder available offline.

    4. Incorrect: You have several options available to make server files available offline on computers taken away from the office.

  5. Correct answer: B

    1. Incorrect: Again, this is a trick answer. By default, all files in the synced folder will be copied to the target computer, so this part is correct. You can manage the amount of space available on the target computer, however, making B the most technically accurate answer.

    2. Correct: You can manage the amount of space available on the target computer for offline files in the Sync Center.

    3. Incorrect: The sync relationship doesn’t distinguish between the most recently accessed and least commonly accessed files; it assumed that you will need them all.

    4. Incorrect: The archive switch on a file or folder has no bearing on what files or folders are synched with offline files.

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