Windows / System Administration Interview Questions – Part 2

Second part of the common System Administration Interview Questions encountered -

What is POP Server/SMTP Server?

POP Stands for Post Office Protocol. It is basically use for mail receiving purpose in the network.

SMTP Stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is basically use for sending a mail as well as receiving a mail in the network.

What is Active Directory Partitions?

Active Directory Partition is a logical Partition of Active Directory. This Partition is basically use for replication from D.C. to A.D. C. & D.C. to G.C.S. (Global Catalog Server) in the network. There are three Types of Active Directory Partition:

1. Schema Partition

2. Configuration Partition

3. Domain Partition

What is the function of Ping Command?

Ping provides to check the Physical IP Connectivity between two or more devices in the network. Ping sends an ICMP request from source Computer to destination computer and destination computer sends an ICMP reply.

What are Broadcasting, Multicasting and unicasting?

Broadcasting – one to all

Multicasting – one to many not all

Unicasting – One to One.

What is Group Nesting?

When we add two or more Groups within a Single Group. It is called Group Nesting.

What is FIXMBR?

FIXMBR Repair the Master boot record of the Partition Boot Sector.

What is FIXBOOT?

FIXBOOT write a new partition boot sector on to the system partition.

What is SID?

SID stands for Security Identifier. Every object has a unique ID, it is called SID.

What is Trusting Domain?

In Trusting Domain Resources are available.

What is Trusted Domain?

In Trusted Domain User Accounts are available.

What is Printer?

Printer is a Software that Governing the print Device. There are two types of Printer:

1. Local Printer

2. Network Printer

What is Directory Services restore mode?

When our Active Directory Database is not working properly, then we restart the domain Controller and press f8 key. Then after Selecting the Directory services restore mode and then after restoring the active directory database from the last backup.

What is Normal Backup?

Just like a normal backup by default Backup.

What is incremental backup?

In incremental backup only incremental parts are backup not full backup.

What is differential backup?

In differential backup, we take full backup after the normal backup.

What is packet?

A packet is a logical grouping of information that includes a header which contains location information and user data.

What are the types of LAN cables used? What is a cross cable?

Types of LAN cables that are in use are “Cat 5″ and “Cat 6″. “Cat 5″ can support 100 Mbps of speed and “CAT 6″ can support 1Gbps of speed.Cross cable: Its used to connect same type of devices without using a switch/hub so that they can communicate.

What is the difference between a normal LAN cable and cross cable? What could be the maximum length of the LAN cable?

The way the paired wires are connected to the connector (RJ45) is different in cross cable and normal LAN cable. The theoretical length is 100 meters but after 80 meters you may see drop in speed.

What would you use to connect two computers without using switches?

Cross cable.

What is a DOMAIN? What is the difference between a domain and a workgroup?

Domain is created when we install Active Directory. It’s a security boundary which is used to manage computers inside the boundary. Domain can be used to centrally administer computers and we can govern them using common policies called group policies. We can’t do the same with workgroup.

What is BSOD? What do you do when you get blue screen in a computer? How do you troubleshoot it?

BSOD stands for blue screen of Death. When there is a hardware or OS fault due to which the windows OS can run it give a blue screen with a code. Best way to resolve it is to boot the computer is “Last known good configuration”. If this doesn’t work than boot the computer in safe mode. If it boots up than the problems with one of the devices or drivers.

What is VPN and how to configure it?

VPN stands for Virtual private network. VPN is used to connect to the corporate network to access the resources like mail and files in the LAN.

Your computer slowly drops out of network. A reboot of the computer fixes the problem. What to do to resolve this issue?

Update the network card driver.

Your system is infected with Virus? How to recover the data?

Install another system. Install the OS with the latets patches, Antivirus with latest updates. Connect the infected HDD as secondary drive in the system. Once done scan and clean the secondary HDD. Once done copy the files to the new system.

Difference between Hardware Router & Software Router?

Hardware Router: Hardware Router is a dedicated Router. It’s having a lot of feature such as Security, dedicated routing in the networking. As for Example Cisco Router.

Software Router: Software Router is not a dedicated router. It provides the different services also such as DNS Server, DHCP Server i.e. Windows Based Router.

Difference between Hardware Firewall and Software Firewall?

Hardware Firewall: It is a dedicated firewall. A lots of security features are available on hardware based firewall. As for Example- Cisco Pix Firewall.

Software Firewall: It is a dedicated firewall. It provides the normal security in the network- Check Point.

What is a Bridge?

Bridge is a layer 2 network device that provides the communication within the same network ID. In bridge maximum 16 ports are available.

Difference between Gateway and Router?

Router works on same network architecture but Gateway works on different network architecture.

What is the difference between a switch and a hub?

Switch sends the traffic to the port to which its meant for.

Hub sends the traffic to all the ports.

What is a router? Why we use it?

Router is a switch which uses routing protocols to process and send the traffic. It also receives the traffic and sends it across but it uses the routing protocols to do so.

What are manageable and non manageable switches?

Switches which can be administered are called manageable switches. For example we can create VLAN for on such switch. On no manageable switches we can’t do so.

What is bootloader?

Boot loader facilitates loading of operating system on the system. It enables the booting process and gives OS options to the user while starting the system.

How to recover files if the system detects virus?

Firstly, install another operating system with latest patches and upgraded antivirus protection. Now, connect the main infected hard disk to the system. Run the antivirus and scan the secondary HDD. Once the hard disk is cleaned, copy the files to another system.

Differentiate between firewall and proxy server

Firewall is used to protect the internal IT infrastructure from hackers.

Proxy servers allow sharing internet connections and protecting IP addresses. Firewall is a networking based technology and proxy server is an application based technology.

What measures are taken to improve the security of the desktop system?

Answer: First step is to install and upgrade the anti-virus for the system.

Secondly, ask all users to not give out or write down passwords, include special characters, and it must be at least 8 characters long.

Thirdly, for desktop security, ensure the screen is locked and password secured during the day, and logged off during the night.

What are the Ports on Motherboard?

Parallel port: It has 26 pin input and 25 pins output use to connect printer. It is also called LPT1 Line Printer Terminal

USB port: Universal serial bus use to connect USB devices

What are the Slots on Motherboard?

ISA slots: Industrial Standard Architecture slot. Available in 8 bits and 16 bits use to connect sound card, display card and LAN card

PCI Slots: Peripheral Component Interface slot. Available in 32, 64 and 128 bit use to connect expansion cards like LAN card

AGP: Accelerator Graphic Port use to connect graphic card

AMR Slots: Audio Modem Riser use to connect internal AMR modem

CNR Slots: Communication Network Riser. This slot is advanced of AMR slot use to connect internal AMR modem as well as other communication network adapter

Describe BIOS?

Basic Input Output System. This is a chip required to control, to manage and to detect all hardware of system. Function of BIOS is to store user level changes in hardware setting and to always provide effective setting of hardware

How many ways you can create partition in hard disk?

First party utility: At the time of OS installation

Second party utility: Command base utility using fdisk

Third party utility: Using third party utility like disk manager

 Describe two types of Monitor

CRT Monitor : It use cathode rays and phospurese to produce image

LCD Monitor : It use liquid to create image

What are the different types of Memories?

Primary Memory: A type of memory in which data and information are stored temporary eg ROM and RAM.

Secondary Memory: A type of memory in which data and information are stored permanently. Eg HD and FD

How many logical drives is it possible to fit on to a physical disk?

Maximum of 24 logical drives. The extended partition can only have 23 logical drives.

Scenario based Questions:

Few scenario based Question which interviewer asks for System Administrator Position

1. What steps will you follow if you have to install same operating system on over 70 computers at the same time?

2. Describe the process for adding a new user to a network of 15 computers?

3. How would you retrieve passwords if one of the users have forgotten their password and can no longer access their official account?

4. How would you resolve a problem if the complainant says that whenever she tries to use internet explorer, the page does not load and instead gives a prompt, ‘virus detected’?

5. Give example of an instance where you have explained a complex technical term or procedure to a layman? Which examples you gave to solve their queries?