Desktop Support Engineer - Interview Questions and Answers
By kannanwrites
When you apply for a Desktop level job, besides asking general questions about yourself the interviewer will also ask you questions that test your technical proficiency.
Desktop Support Engineers are required to have deep understanding of basic as well as intermediate level concepts. The interviewer can ask you to explain the concept of OSI model or TCP/IP model or can also ask you fact based questions to test your memory power. They can ask you questions on Desktop or Server level questions.
List of Probable questions
- What are the types of Operating System ?
- Give examples of NOS (Network Operating System) and SOS (Server Operating System)
- Difference between FAT and NTFS
- Enhancements in Windows 2003 from Windows 2000
- Enhancements in Windows 2003 from Windows NT
- What is Active Directory ?
- Types of Firewall
- Difference between Hardware and Software Firewall
- Name the seven layers of OSI model
- How to enable Firewall in Windows XP?
- How to Disable Firewall in Windows XP?
- Minimum System requirement of Windows XP, Vista, 2003 and 2008
- Explain ping command
- Explain Cookies
- How to boot the computer in Safe mode
- Types of printer
- Explain Last Known Good Configuration
- What is Disk clean up, Disk Defragmentation, Device manager and System Restore
- USB port Vs Firewire port
- How to install a printer in Windows XP?
- What is a Browser and name any 5 browsers ?
- Serial port Vs Parallel port
- What is a port number ?
- Where is the HOSTS file located
- Explain different RAID levels
- Explain APIPA, IP address and Subnet mask
- Difference between IP v4 and IP v6
- How to remove virus from a computer
- How to make a computer run faster?
- What is attrib command ?
- What is edit command ?
- How to copy a file or folder using copy command?
- How to format the hard disk using command line utilities?
- Explain mkdir, rmdir and chdir commands
- Types of hard disk
- Difference between primary and secondary partition
- Types of backups in Window OS
- Differential Backup Vs Incremental Backup Vs Copy backup
- What is remote desktop.
- Recovery Console Vs Automated System Recovery
- What is NTLDR file?
- How to tackle "missing NTLDR file" error?
- How many bytes are there in MAC address
- Range of Class A IP address
- Range of Class B IP address
- Range of Class C IP address
- Default subnet mask of Class A, Class B and Class C IP address
- What is BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) and how to overcome it
- Difference between Preferred DNS and Alternate DNS server
- Transmission speed of T1 carrier
I could go on and on forever writing questions and you could also go on and on searching for "Desktop Support Engineer Interview Question", but the fact is that if you are going for L1 (level 1) positions you only need to do your basics well.
Do You Still Want Answers?
See results without votingSome Objective Type Questions From the Above List
Answers
You have had the training, practicals and stuff like that, now answer the questions in your words. Simply mugging up the answers will a be a recipe for disaster.
A quick Google search of the question will reveal all the answers. Surf for the answers and in the process you'll learn, and once you learn you won't forget at the time of the interview.
Practical Demonstrations
Besides fact based questions you will also be tested on your practical skills. They could ask you to do the easy task of installing the Operating System in front of them or even ask you to solve a problem faced by a user right there.
Last Word
Get properly dressed and don't excessively stare the receptionist (lol..).
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Download the Questions as a PDF file
How to appear for an Interview
pls send me interview question with answer on my email id pradnya2289@rediffmail.com
its vry useful
excellent! really very helpful
Good Questions..Thanks Dude
please provide all the answers on my email id prashantraj1990@gmail.com
You got me on a few of those, I guess I should brush up on my administration skills. Thanks for posting.
1) What is Active Directory?
A central component of the Windows platform, Active Directory directory service provides the means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network environments. For example we can create, manage and administrator users, computers and printers in the network from active directory.
2) What is DNS? Why it is used? What is "forward lookup" and "reverse lookup" in DNS? What are A records and mx records?
DNS is domain naming service and is used for resolving names to IP address and IP addresses to names. The computer understands only numbers while we can easily remember names. So to make it easier for us what we do is we assign names to computers and websites. When we use these names (Like yahoo.com) the computer uses DNS to convert to IP address (number) and it executes our request.
Forward lookup: Converting names to IP address is called forward lookup.
Reverse lookup: Resolving IP address to names is called reverse lookup.
'A' record: Its called host record and it has the mapping of a name to IP address. This is the record in DNS with the help of which DNS can find out the IP address of a name.
'MX' Record: its called mail exchanger record. Its the record needed to locate the mail servers in the network. This record is also found in DNS.
3) What id DHCP? Why it is used? What are scopes and super scopes?
DHCP: Dynamic host configuration protocol. Its used to allocate IP addresses to large number of PCs in a network environment. This makes the IP management very easy.
Scope: Scope contains IP address like subnet mask, gateway IP, DNS server IP and exclusion range which a client can use to communicate with the other PCs in the network.
Superscope: When we combine two or more scopes together its called super scope.
4) 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.
5) 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 due to loss of signal.
6) What would you use to connect two computers without using switches?
Cross cable.
7) What is IPCONFIG command? Why it is used?
IPCONFIG command is used to display the IP information assigned to a computer. From the output we can find out the IP address, DNS IP address, gateway IP address assigned to that computer.
8) What is APIPA IP address? Or what IP address is assigned to the computer when the DHCP server is not available?
When DHCP server is not available the Windows client computer assigns an automatic IP address to itself so that it can communicate with the network computers. This ip address is called APIPA. ITs in the range of 169.254.X.X.
APIPA stands for Automatic private IP addressing. Its in the range of 169.254.X.X.
9) 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 administrator computers and we can govern them using common policies called group policies.
We can't do the same with workgroup.
10) Do you know how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003 for a user?
Please visit the link below to find out how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003. IT: Help Desk: Quick Guide: Configuring Outlook 2003 for Exchange Server
11) What is a PST file and what is the difference between a PST file and OST file? What file is used by outlook express?
PST file is used to store the mails locally when using outlook 2000 or 2003. OST file is used when we use outlook in cached exchanged mode. Outlook express used odb file.
12) 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.
13) What is RIS? What is Imaging/ghosting?
RIS stands for remote installation services. You save the installed image on a windows server and then we use RIS to install the configured on in the new hardware. We can use it to deploy both server and client OS. Imaging or ghosting also does the same job of capturing an installed image and then install it on a new hardware when there is a need. We go for RIS or imaging/ghosting because installing OS every time using a CD can be a very time consuming task. So to save that time we can go for RIS/Ghosting/imaging.
14) 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. VPN can be configured using the steps mentioned in the KB: How to configure a VPN connection to your corporate network in Windows XP Professional
15) 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.
16) Your system is infected with Virus? How to recover the data?
Install another system. Install the OS with the lates 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.
17) How to join a system to the domain? What type of user can add a system to the domain?
Please visit the article below and read "Adding the Workstation to the Domain" http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...003/technol /directory/
18) 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.
19) 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.
20) 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.
Read more: http://www.placementpapers.us/networking/848-deskt
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Google fo answers...!!!!
Sab sale readymade answer ratta marne ke liye taiyaar, jaise Board Eaxam honewala hai..
Itna bhi common sense nahi hai ki kuch khud bhi mehnet kar. Try the www.google.com and search the answer there u will get your Answer. All Are fools want answer and only answer.
Thanks.
Raju
@Sunil You are bang on target use Google to surf for the answers and in the process you'll learn a lot quicker.
Interesting questions,Guys if anyone want answers then please utilize google.com
i want to more trouble shooting question
very helpfull to study thanks
It is very helpful question for our interview
@Ashfaq You are absolutely right........Isn't that we call googling.
nice questions.....if any one wants the answer then copy the question and search on google
@Vijay You are right on the money. Guys we should search and find answers to these questions and while doing that you'll learn much more than you may think.
I haven't forgotten this page, I do get notifications when readers comment.
Also, as I have now switched from my erstwhile IT job and moved on to management position in the Logistics industry, I now feel a bit off from these tech questions.
Googling is the best possible way to learn and prepare for your interview.
Hey all. You can search for the answers seperately in google if you are really interested to learn. This guy is not going to provide us the answers as this post is months old and i believe he forgot that he posted the questions :) Help yourself. All the best.btw, good list of questions.
Please provide the answers so that if we try to answer any question atleast we come to know that where we are wrong and where we are right.
Thanks for these interviews questions .
Good questions and understanding question thanks
I have to ask to, you have a complete list of questions.
Where can i get answers for Desktop Support Engineer Interview Questions
awsome hub!!! Voted up :)
Hi! Would you be kind enough to share with us the answers to the questions?
Great information
Very good question for interview.....
Really very helpful question for desktop support engineer
Thanks for this article.
rajiv 37 hours ago
thanks