Quiz: Think you’re a Windows expert? Try this!

4 min. read

Published on June 27, 2011

published on June 27, 2011

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The guys over at ZDNet have put together a pretty cool quiz to determine how knowledgeable you are when it comes to Microsoft. The quiz asks some random Microsoft questions that make you scratch your head while trying to remember. Give it a shot and see how you do!

So, you think you’re the ultimate Microsoft/Windows fan, huh? Well, it’s time to dust off the ol’ memory bank and really test your knowledge! Only the most astute Microsoft/Windows enthusiast will stand a chance to defeat this quiz, but I know there are plenty of you out there! And who knows? You may even learn a thing or three.

Quiz Instructions: Write down your answers and then check the answer page to see your results. Post about how you did in the comments section below.

1. What was the code name of Windows 95?

A. Memphis
B. Daytona
C. Chicago
D. Whistler
E. Blackcomb

2. What year was Microsoft established and in which city and state?

A. 1975 in Redmond, Washington
B. 1976 in Seattle, Washington
C. 1976 in Wilmington, Deleware
D. 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico

3. What is the name of the book written in 1994 by G. Pascal Zachary, who was given unprecedented access behind closed doors to chronicle the development of Windows NT?

A. Show-Stopper
B. The Windows NT Chronicles
C. Inside Windows NT: The Windows Revolution
D. Bug-Smashers

4. What is the code name for Windows 8?

1. Windows 8
2. Windows Next Rev
3. Windows Awesomeness
4. Windows UX

5. In the 3D text screen saver in Windows NT, what words can you type to find an easter egg?

A. Volcano
B. Not Evil
C. I Love NT
D. Rock
E. Beer

6. Bits from Neptune and Odyssey came together to eventually form which RTM OS?

A. Windows 95
B. Windows ME
C. Windows XP
D. Windows Vista

7. What year did Microsoft invest $150 million in Apple?

A. 1990
B. 1993
C. 1997
D. 2001

8. What is the name of the file that contains Windows’s installation files in Vista and Windows 7?

A. install.cab
B. winsys.zip
C. install.wim
D. windows_install.bin
E. install.win

9. How many times has Bill Gates been hit in the face with a pie (in public)?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. Windows ME
E. 3

10. Name the musician who composed the Windows 95 start-up sound.

A. Moby
B. Brian Eno
C. Trent Reznor
D. Robert Fripp
E. Scott Davidson

11. What was the code name for the planned successor of Windows Longhorn?

A. Excalibur
B. Sun Valley
C. Triton
D. Cairo
E. Blackcomb

12. Mary Jo Foley got into hot water after she quoted a Microsoft memo which said Windows 2000 shipped with how many defects?

A. 6
B. 52
C. 118
D. 416
E. 63,000

13. Which version of Windows did Bill Gates receive a BSOD during a public demo?

A. Windows 3.1
B. Windows 95
C. Windows 98
D. Windows ME
E. Windows Vista

14. What is the name of the blogger who was hired to evangelize Windows Longhorn?

A. Mary Jo Foley
B. Paul Thurrott
C. Ed Bott
D. Robert Scoble
E. Ina Fried

15. What was the actual version number of the first retail release of Windows?

A. 1
B. 1.0
C. 1.00
D. 1.01
E. 1.1

16. I say “Omega 13,” you say…

A. Bailing Apple out
B. Windows 99
C. Longhorn Reboot
D. Whistler
E. Windows 98

17. One leaked build of Whistler contained a theme that no other build contained. Which build was it, and what’s the name of the theme?

A. 2202, Whistling Dixie
B. 2366, Whistler Advanced
C. 2410, Chartreuse Mongoose
D. 2442, Jade
E. 2499, Yellow Luna

18. Who at Microsoft is referred to by many as “the father of the NT kernel?”

A. David Cutler
B. Brian Kernighan
C. Douglas McIlroy
D. Joe Ossanna
E. Ken Thompson

19. “Developers, developers, developers.” Steve Ballmer forever immortalized these words, but at which conference did he say, “Web developers, Web developers, Web developers?”

A. MIX 06
B. MIX 07
C. MIX 08
D. MIX 09
E. MIX 10

20. Which Windows system file did this image come from?

E. winbrand.dll
D. boot.bin
C. explorer.exe
B. system32.dll
A. banimres.sys

Visit the answer page over at ZDNet for the results. Post how you did in the comments below!

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.