Introduction

This three-day instructor led course is to provide individuals who are new to Microsoft Windows® XP with the knowledge and skills necessary to troubleshoot basic problems end users will face while running Microsoft Windows XP Professional in an Active Directory® network environment, or Windows XP Home edition in a workgroup environment. This is an introductory course designed to provide an overview of operating system concepts and how to troubleshoot Windows XP.

This is the first course in the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician curriculum.

Audience

This course is intended for new entrants and career changers new to the IT industry. They have experience using Microsoft Office and have basic Microsoft Windows navigation skills. Another audience is the current call center technician with 6 months experience looking to validate their support skills.

At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Perform and troubleshoot an attended installation of the Windows XP operating system.
• Perform post installation configuration (user configuration, apply service packs, etc.).
• Answer end user questions related to upgrading from a previous version of Windows.
• Troubleshoot system startup and user logon problems.
• Monitor and analyze system performance.
• Monitor, manage, and troubleshoot access to files and folders.
• Troubleshoot connecting to local and network print devices.
• Configure and troubleshoot hardware devices and drivers.
• Configure and troubleshoot storage devices.
• Configure and troubleshoot display devices.
• Troubleshoot network protocols and services.
• Configure and troubleshoot Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI).
• Configure and troubleshoot input and output (I/O) devices.
• Configure support for multiple languages or multiple locations.
• Troubleshoot security settings and local security policy.
• Configure and troubleshoot local user and group accounts.
• Troubleshoot the TCP/IP protocol.
• Configure and troubleshoot Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) settings.
• Troubleshoot name resolution issues.
• Configure and troubleshoot remote connections.
• Configure and troubleshoot end user systems using remote Desktop and Remote Assistance.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Basic experience using a Microsoft Windows Operating system such as Microsoft Windows XP.
• A basic understanding of Microsoft Office applications and Microsoft Windows accessories, including Internet Explorer.
• Basic understanding of core operating system technologies including installation and configuration.
• A basic understanding of hardware components and their functions.
• A basic understanding of the major desktop components and interfaces, and their functions.
• A basic understanding of TCP/IP settings.
• How to use command-line utilities to manage the operating system.
• A basic understanding of technologies that are available for establishing Internet connectivity.

Course Materials

The student kit includes a comprehensive workbook and other necessary materials for this class.

The following software is provided in the student kit.

• Evaluation copy of Windows XP Professional for classroom use only.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Supporting Users

This module explains how to use troubleshooting guidelines and tools to support users.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the job role of the desktop support technician.
• Explain the importance of the operating system version and computer environment on troubleshooting.
• Use the Knowledge Base, Safe Mode, Computer Management, and other tools for troubleshooting.

Module 2: Resolving Installation Issues

This module explains how to identify and resolve installation issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain how to prepare a computer for installation.
• Create and format a partition for operating system installation.
• Explain how the installation process works and common issues that can occur during phases of installation.
• Troubleshoot an attended installation.
• Troubleshoot an upgrade to an existing operating system.
• Troubleshoot an unattended installation.
• Troubleshoot the boot process.

Module 3: Resolving Desktop Management Issues

After completing this module, students will be able to identify and resolve desktop management issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Troubleshoot user logon issues.
• Troubleshoot user configuration issues.
• Troubleshoot multilingual configurations.
• Troubleshoot security and local policy settings.
• Troubleshoot system performance.

Module 4: Resolving File and Folder Issues

After completing this module, students will be able to identify and resolve file and folder issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Manage files and folders.
• Troubleshoot access to files and folders.
• Troubleshoot access to shared files and folders.
• Troubleshoot access to offline files and folders.

Module 5: Resolving Hardware Issues

After completing this module, students will be able to identify and resolve hardware issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Manage drivers.
• Troubleshoot storage devices.
• Troubleshoot display devices.

Module 6: Resolving Print Issues

After completing this module, students will be able to identify and resolve print issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Install local and network printers.
• Troubleshoot issues with printer drivers.
• Troubleshoot issues with printers and print jobs.
• Audit printers.

Module 7: Resolving Network Connectivity Issues

After completing this module, students will be able to identify and resolve network connectivity issues.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the relationship between the OSI model and troubleshooting network connectivity issues.
• Identify issues with computer addressing.
• Identify issues with name resolution.
• Troubleshoot remote connection issues.