Firedog General PC Questions. Please help me answer them.

[Chazell29]

Hello everyone, I know I have probably been getting annoying, with my thread about me trying to go to Firedog, then my other thread saying I probably wasn't going to get Firedog, and now this. Well anyways, I'm almost a Firedog, I did some good deeds around my store, and my manager decided to either move me to sales tech, so selling pc, or firedog tech; fixing PC's. I was talking to the PC manager, and one of the main Firedogs, and he had made a list that he wants every Firedog to know how to perform each task. I know for the most part the answers, but if you could please correct me, and add to my answers, thanks.

1. How do you format a hard drive?
A- Find all important files that you'd want to save, and back them up to either a cd, removable usb thumb drive, or another hard drive. Click Start>My Computer (or in Windows 2000 click on the My Computer Icon on the desktop) and right click on the hard drive that you want to format, and click format.

2. How do the following repair utilities work? (i can google these, and i only listed the ones I don't know, so you don't need to answer these) PC Doctor, Spybot.

3. How do you image a hard drive?
I have this in a book that Im studying, so if i looked it up(im at work) i'd know, but I don't know off the top of my head.

4. Where do you go to change a partition?
I also have this in a book, so I don't know off the top of my head, but I think I remember reading that you can only change partitions when you boot up the pc?

5. How do you change the boot order in the BIOS?
You start up the PC, and press the corresponding key to get into the BIOS. From there you use the arrow keys to navigate to the BOOT tab. From there, you can go to the boot order list, or simply click the device you'd like to boot from first. I don't know if this sounds right, but Ive done it and I know how to do it once I get into the BIOS.

6. How do you diagnose defects on the motherboard?
The first step is to listen when booting, if there is an error, the motherboard will display some beep codes. The motherboard may also display some type of number or text code on the monitor. You can then try to fix the problem, for example unseated video card or RAM. If thats not the problem, you can try a piece of hardware that you know works. If the hardware then works in this PC, the device is bad, if the hardware doesn't work, the motherboard is bad.

7. What steps are taken to remove virus', trojans and worms?
I don't know "exact" steps, I only know how to remove them via an anti-virus program.

8. How does Windows Recovery Console Work? How does it very by brand?
The windows recovery console takes the current settings (when making a recovery point) and saves them to the PC. If you do something wrong in the future, such as delete an important file from the registry, then you can use delete something important to the OS, you can then go back to the recovery point and reload those settings. The Windows Recovery console is the same on all brands of PC's.

9. Why do you use safe mode?
To remove virus'. Safe mode lets you use windows, almost "directly," it prevents any other programs from interferring with you and the operating system. For example if a virus was installed and part of the virus installation installed something that would prevent you from deleting the virus, you could enter safemode to delete the virus, because it wouldn't be able to stop the process.

This is just off the top of my head, as soon as I get off work I'm going to go over it in my books to refresh my memory, but if any of my answers are wrong, please let me konw. Also, add to my answers, and provide me with links where I can learn more about something in one of these questions. Also, your probably thinking how could I be a Firedog, if I can't answer these questions...these are only a select few from a big list. I know the others by heart.

Thanks.

[HAL9000]

1)... that's fine and dandy, how do you format a new drive? How do you format one on a system that isn't booting, how do you switch it from NTFS to FAT and vice versa?

6) How about visual inspection of the board?

[Chazell29]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 1)... that's fine and dandy, how do you format a new drive? How do you format one on a system that isn't booting, how do you switch it from NTFS to FAT and vice versa? 6) How about visual inspection of the board?

RE 1. I'll look those up as soon as I get off work. those are probably important things to know, and will look good when they formally ask me these questions.

RE 6. Haha, yeah that is probably a good way as well.

Thanks man.

[mairving]

Really ambigous questions. Most can be answered in quite a number of ways. The right answer might not be the one that Firedogs use. What I would try to do is to think of the way that takes the longest and has the most risk. That should be the way that Firedogs do things.

[Chazell29]

Originally Posted by mairving Really ambigous questions. Most can be answered in quite a number of ways. The right answer might not be the one that Firedogs use. What I would try to do is to think of the way that takes the longest and has the most risk. That should be the way that Firedogs do things.

Hahah

[tigstah]

lol at mairving.....
good luck chazell in your job search. why firedogs and not geeksquad.
to be honest, i wouldnt give those guys my pc. if i cant fix it, i would take it to a local shop. i want someone who specializes in fixing pc's. not someone who, installs cable, directv, hangs tvs on walls. thats my personal opinion tho. they dont require you to have an A+ certification to get hire there tho.....surprised.
again good luck.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by mairving Really ambigous questions. Most can be answered in quite a number of ways.

I agree...while I was reading the questions a lot of different scenarios were going through my head. I decided not to respond.

Originally Posted by tigstah to be honest, i wouldnt give those guys my pc.

Me either.

You could take the easy way out for the software problem questions by saying "Nuke and Pave" (format and reinstall the OS) whenever there is a software issue or malware infestation .

Cricket

[nocturnx]

1,4 = fdisk

But really like Hal said it depends on the situation.

3. Depends on software being used and theres many methods, kind of a wide open question like most of the questions here. Find out what software firedog uses to answer this one.

5. Depends on the bios. Heck some of the old dells here you don't even need to go into the bios. You can go F2 (i think it is, maybe F12) right into a boot device option screen.

6. Yea don't forget visual inspection. Ive seen many odd error messages on boot from a bad motherboard, such as dell's "pc shutdown do to a thermal event" which usually if you check the motherboard you will be able to see a few bulging/leaking capacitors that are the cause.

9. Use safe mode because dangerous mode is dangerous......

Good luck Chaz!

[mairving]

I have use the jam method for getting into the BIOS for number 5. That is hold down the shift key and start banging the F keys along with DEL. A good portion of computers now will allow you to select a boot menu without having to enter the BIOS. On Dell it is F12.

[nocturnx]

Originally Posted by mairving I have use the jam method for getting into the BIOS for number 5. That is hold down the shift key and start banging the F keys along with DEL.

Hahaha I love that method. Don't you hate it when you use that method and it still boots to windows....sigh.

[HAL9000]

I use the mash method when I can't figure out what key... both hands mashing the keyboard.

[shadowpr]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 I use the mash method when I can't figure out what key... both hands mashing the keyboard.

i've used that before just cause i couldn't figure it out.....and even after i got into bios, i still didn't know what key it was, so i had to use that method again later on.

[Chazell29]

Well thanks for the little bit of help, i went home and did alot of research, and brought it back and showed some other firedog guys my answers, and according to firedog standards they were really good.

[bailey]

ok, I will be the bad guy on this.

the only problem I have with this whole thread is :

you go to them looking for a job fixing pc's.
they give you a page with some standard questions on it and then send you home to do the reasearch on the best answeres for them, then go bacl later and show them you answeres.


my problem is that you should have been able to stand there and answere all the questions without any delay.

so by this thread, you are not ready to do the job that your looking for.
you need more study on the differant subjects and brands of computers, both the older ones and the newer ones.

even just having the A+ cert does not mean that you are ready, but as a starting point to learn more from on the job experience.

good luck on your endevers and keep studying

[shadowpr]

Originally Posted by bailey ok, I will be the bad guy on this. the only problem I have with this whole thread is : you go to them looking for a job fixing pc's. they give you a page with some standard questions on it and then send you home to do the reasearch on the best answeres for them, then go bacl later and show them you answeres. my problem is that you should have been able to stand there and answere all the questions without any delay. so by this thread, you are not ready to do the job that your looking for. you need more study on the differant subjects and brands of computers, both the older ones and the newer ones. even just having the A+ cert does not mean that you are ready, but as a starting point to learn more from on the job experience. good luck on your endevers and keep studying

not to argue or disagree, but just to add something to what you said. i doubt most people will know everything, and it's been my experience that if you don't, it's usually ok. the trick is to know how to find out, and who to ask. as a person in charge, i understood if other people under me didn't know something that i did, and even if people above me didn't either. all i expected in a situation like that was for them to tell me that they didn't know but they would find out. thus they learn and are able to do what i needed them to do.

i much rather have someone admit they don't know and go find out so they can do it right, then have someone just try to trick me with a made up anser or to just not care enough to find out how to do it right.

my 2 cents

[bailey]

I agree, but if your sitting in the room with the boss at the interview, and he asks you a question about something, you better have the right answere then and there, if you have any hopes of getting the job, thats all I was pointing out.

[HAL9000]

I do have to agree with bailey... I can see on more complex problems, the solution doesn't necessarily pop out of your head, but basic tasks such as formatting should.... as should methods for solving more complex tasks.

[tigstah]

for fun, i applied for a firedog pc tech. answered a few of the questions they had. i'll let you know if i get an interview.

[Chazell29]

I see what your saying...but i also for the most part on my sheet answered every question correctly. I knew 95% of the questions they gave me right off the top of my head. Some of the questions I wasn't so sure about, I posted here. There were more...and for the most part, you guys didn't really help me out, and all my answers i gave them were my own, and with the exception of a few, off the top of my head....and they said my answers were really good...so yeah...idk we'll see.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Chazell29 and for the most part, you guys didn't really help me out.

Then I guess this thread wasn't really necessary.

Cricket

[HAL9000]

Well, this is all about learning, so you were more being prompted on how to find the answers and what other angles to look at.

As per your request, I will close this thread.