Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

Audience Profile

Candidates for this exam support end users who run Microsoft Windows XP Professional in a corporate environment or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition in a home environment. They should have experience using applications that are included with the operating system, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook Express, as well as the productivity applications used in a corporate environment, such as Microsoft Office applications.

Candidates should be able to resolve operating system issues by telephone, by connecting to an end user's system remotely, or by visiting an end user's desktop. They should have a working knowledge of operating in a workgroup or Active Directory domain environment and how end users are affected by each environment.

This exam, when combined with 70-271 (the operating system exam for desktop support technicians), should validate that a candidate can successfully answer, or escalate, all calls from end users.

Credit Toward Certification

When you pass the Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System exam, you achieve Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) status. You also earn:

• Core credit toward Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) on Microsoft Windows XP certification

Instructor-led Courses for This Exam

• Course 2261: Supporting Users Running the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

• Course 2262: Supporting Users Running Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

Skills Being Measured

This certification exam measures your ability to resolve end-user incident requests by configuring and troubleshooting the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. Before taking the exam, you should be proficient in the job skills listed below.

Skills Measured by Exam 70-272

Configuring and Troubleshooting Applications

Configure and troubleshoot Office applications.

• Answer end-user questions related to configuring Office applications.

• Set application compatibility settings.

• Troubleshoot application installation problems.

• Configure and troubleshoot e-mail account settings.

Configure and troubleshoot Internet Explorer.

Configure and troubleshoot Outlook Express.

• Answer end-user questions related to configuring Outlook Express.

• Configure and troubleshoot newsreader account settings.

• Configure and troubleshoot e-mail account settings.

Configure the operating system to support applications.

• Answer end-user questions related to configuring the operating system to support an application.

• Configure and troubleshoot file system access and file permission problems on multiboot computers.

• Configure access to applications on multiuser computers.

• Configure and troubleshoot application access on a multiple user client computer.

Resolving Issues Related to Usability

Resolve issues related to Office application support features. Tasks include configuring Office applications and interpreting error messages.

Resolve issues related to Internet Explorer support features. Tasks include configuring Internet Explorer and interpreting error messages.

Resolve issues related to Outlook Express features. Tasks include configuring Outlook Express and interpreting error messages.

Resolve issues related to operating system features. Tasks include configuring operating system features and interpreting error messages.

Resolving Issues Related to Application Customization

Resolve issues related to customizing an Office application.

• Answer end-user questions related to customizing Office applications.

• Customize toolbars.

• Configure proofing tools.

• Manage Outlook data, including configuring, importing, and exporting data, and repairing corrupted data.

• Personalize Office features.

Resolve issues related to customizing Internet Explorer.

Resolve issues related to customizing Outlook Express.

Resolve issues related to customizing the operating system to support applications.

• Answer end-user questions related to customizing the operating system to support an application.

• Customize the Start menu and taskbar.

• Customize regional settings.

• Customize fonts.

• Customize folder settings.

Configuring and Troubleshooting Connectivity for Applications

Identify and troubleshoot name resolution problems. Indications of such problems include application errors.

Identify and troubleshoot network adapter configuration problems. Indications of such problems include application errors.

Identify and troubleshoot LAN and Routing and Remote Access configuration problems. Indications of such problems include application errors.

Identify and troubleshoot network connectivity problems caused by the firewall configuration. Indications of such problems include application errors.

Identify and troubleshoot problems with locally attached devices. Indications of such problems include application errors.

Configuring Application Security

Identify and troubleshoot problems related to security permissions.

• Answer end-user questions related to application security settings.

• Troubleshoot access to local resources.

• Troubleshoot access to network resources.

• Troubleshoot insufficient user permissions and rights.

Identify and respond to security incidents.

• Answer end-user questions related to security incidents.

• Identify a virus attack.

• Apply critical updates.

Manage application security settings.