CompTIA A+

The most famous codec is MP3. It allows shrinking a WAV file to ____ without losing much quality.

1/12

What are FRUs?

Field replaceable units (FRUs) are core components of a PC that can be easily replaced in the field. Keep them on hand to test out what's not working.

Computers designed to work around ____ degrees with relative humidity around ____.

72; 30-40%

FireWire's maximum speed is ____. The maximum cable length is ___ meters.

800Mbps; 4.5;

Draft quality dot-matrix printers use ____ pins, whereas ltter quality or near-letter quality (NLQ) use ____ pins.

9; 24

NTFS introduced new security features, such as the ____ and ____.

Access Control List and Encrypting File System.

What is APIPA?

Automatic Private IP Addressing is used when a computer cannot contact the DHCP server to receive an address. The computer randomly chooses an address from 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254. Computers using APIPA can only communicate with other systems using APIPA!.

What programs are used to transfer files in XP, Vista, and Win7?

Files and Transfer Settings Wizard is used in XP. Windows Easy Transfer is used in Vista/Win7. To use it, run on new computer first and then run on old.

What is double-sided RAM?

Essentially two sticks of RAM soldered together. Requires a special motherboard to utilize.

Explain ethereal symptoms, their cause, and their solution.

Ethereal symptoms indicate motherboard failure and show up as faulty components, buggy device drivers or application software, corruption of OS, power supply problems, etc. Only option is to flash BIOS (probably won't work) or replace the motherboard.

What is cable select?

On PATA drives, cable select indicates that the position of drives on the cable determine master/slave status.

What is ReadyBoost? What is the recommended amount? How can you activate this feature?

Feature in Vista/Win7 that allows you to use 1-32GB of flash media as virtual memory. Vista only allows one device, but Win7 can use up to eight. Windows recommends up to 3x the system RAM. Right-click device in My Computer --> Properties --> Readyboost tab --> Dedicate this device to Readyboost (or Use this device).

Describe fiber network connections.

Fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) connects fiber to a box in the neighborhood, which connects to nodes via coaxial or Ethernet cabling. Fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) connects fiber straight to the home or office. They use SC (Subscriber Limited) connectors.

Explain the two most common beep codes. Bonus: What signal does the system send to let you know everything is in working order?

One long beep followed by 2-3 short beeps: bad or missing video. Continual short beeps: bad or missing RAM. Bonus: Computer often beeps once after POST to indicate everything is working.

Explain what is wrong if you can't open a Control Panel applet.

One of the .CPL files is corrupted. You should rename each to .CPB, then rename them back to .CPL one at a time until you find the broken file.

What is a raster line?

One sweep of the electron gun from left to right across screen.

MPEG-4 is used for _____.

Online videos/images and Blu-ray.

How does syncing on an Android device work?

Only contacts, calendars, and Gmail will sync automatically. Everything else is drag-and-drop—treat device like a thumb drive.

Common CTRL + Escape does what?

Open start menu.

How do I schedule defragmentation or error-checking in Windows XP?

Open the Task Scheduler (under Scheduled Tasks) --> Add Scheduled Task --> Scheduled Task Wizard --> next --> Browse --> System32.exe. 1. Go to the Run field and add c: at the end to defrag the C: drive. 2. Add /R to recover data on bad sectors. 3. Add /F to repair bad sectors.

What tools are used to monitor performance in Vista/Win7? How do you access them?

Reliability and Performance Monitor (Vista) and Performance Monitor (Win7). To access: 1. Performance Information and Tools applet. 2. perfmon.msc

Define "permission propagation."

Permission propagation governs what happens to the permissions on an object when it is moved or copy.

What the heck is PCMCIA?

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. PCMCIAs are PC cards inserted into laptop to expand the laptop's functions.

What is an LCD monitor's refresh rate? Bonus: What refresh rate is required to view HD movies?

Refers to how often a screen can change or update completely. Bonus: 120Hz.

What is one advantage of UEFI over traditional BIOS?

Regular BIOS only boots to master boot record (MBR) drives, and MBR drivers don't support partitions greater than 2.2 TB. EFI motherboards support partitions greater than 2.2TB.

To install over a network, Windows Server 2003 uses ____, and Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 use ____.

Remote Installation Services; Windows Deployment Services.

How should I add an e-mail account to an Apple device?

Settings --> Mail, Contacts, Calendars --> Add Account. You'll need to use Other option to add some e-mail accounts.

Apple uses iCloud to geotrack their devices. How can I access my data from iCloud?

Settings --> iCloud --> Storage & Backup --> ON/OFF.

Explain the following ALT+ hotkeys: 1. TAB. 2. SPACE. 3. ENTER.

TAB: Cycle through open programs. SPACE: Display main window's System menu (same as right-click title bar). ENTER: Open properties for object (same as right-click  Properties).

What is the difference between TCP and UDP?

TCP requires sending and receiving machines to acknowledge each other, and UDP is a "fire and forget" transfer. This makes UDP faster but TCP more reliable.

What editions of Windows can shrink and expand partitions?

XP can expand a partition. Vista/Win7 can shrink and expand.

What is the soft power feature on ATX motherboards?

System always has 5v of power running to the motherboard. Pressing the power switch tells the system BIOS to boot the computer.

I want to create a system repair disc in Vista/Win7. How?

System and Security applet --> Back up or Restore Center --> create system repair disc.

What is the primary active partition called?

System partition (boot partition) or system volume (boot volume).

What happens if the CMOS battery runs down? How can you tell that this has happened?

System will load with factory defaults. Time will reset to January 1st on every boot.

The first partition you make in Windows XP will be a ____, and other partitions will be ____.

primary partition; logical drives on an extended partition

Windows views a printer as a ____ that controls a _____.

program; print device

What commands are used to access the Registry editor?

regedit; regedt32

In Windows XP, you can use the ____ command under the ____ tab of Task Manager to make a program run faster or slower. You should not set this to ____ because it will slow the system down.

set priority; Processes; realtime

For the best audio output on a home theater, the sound card should connect to the ____ via ____, which will then output to the speakers.

stereo receiver; S/PDIF

Each hexadecimal character has ___ bits of data.

four

Functions of F1 to F6.

F1: Help. F2: Rename. F3: Search menu. F5: Refresh window. F6: Cycle through items in window.

FAT file systems mark bad or unusable sectors as ____.

FFF7

fluxes and runs

Fluxes are tiny magnetic fields on a HDD that can switch polarity back and forth (flux reversal). A group of fluxes is known as a run.

What is horizontal refresh rate? What is vertical refresh rate? (CRT monitor)

HRR is the speed at which the electron gun moves across screen; VRR is the time taken to draw full screen and return to start position.

What is a hardware firewall?

Hardware firewalls are built into routers. They hide the internal LAN from outside connections using Network Address Translation (NAT).

The USB 2.0 standard introduced ____, and the USB 3.0 standard introduced ____.

Hi-Speed USB @ 480 Mbps; SuperSpeed USB @ 5 Gbps.

What is a factory recovery partition?

Hidden partition that contains a restorable copy of an OS.

Explain MBR partitioning structure.

Master Boot Record. Allows for up to four partitions, or three partitions and one extended partition. Primary partitions support bootable OSs, but extended partitions do not.

What is the difference between a matte finish and a high-gloss finish?

Matte offers a trade-off between color richness and glare reduction, but it washes out a lot in bright light. High-gloss finish offers sharper contrast, richer colors, and wider viewing angles, but they pick up reflections.

What is RAM latency? How do CAS/RAS factor into this?

Measured in clock cycles (CL2 is two clock cycles, CL3 is three, etc.). Lower is better. Column array strobe and row array strobe help MCC find the right data.

MAC address.

Media Access Control address. 48-bit hexadecimal identifier.

How do I access the Network Setup Wizard in Windows XP?

Network and Internet Connections applets --> Network Connections --> Common Tasks --> Network Setup Wizard.

How can I run a Win7 machine as a media streaming center?

Network and Sharing Center --> Change advanced sharing settings --> Home or Work option --> scroll down and choose Media streaming options.

NIC

Network interface controller/card. Label machines on network (with MAC addresses) and break data into frames.

Describe the ATA-1 standard.

New hard drive standard that had cable, built-in controller, and used existing AT BIOS. Maximum of two drives connected, one master and one slave.

Describe the ATA-6 standard.

New standard called ATA/ATAPI-6 that supports drives up to 144 petabytes. The Big Drive initiative created 48-bit LBA. Enhanced block mode that allowed drives to transfer up to 65,536 sectors at once (rather than the previous maximum of 256 sectors).

Laptop displays don't use OLEDs or plasma displays. Why?

Plasma displays take too much electricity, and OLEDs are too expensive (they are mostly used in smartphones).

What is a polymorphic virus?

Polymorphic viruses change their signatures to evade antivirus programs, usually by scrambling a bit of useless code.

What is polyphony?

Polyphony is the number of instruments a sound card can play at once, typically 64 or thereabouts.

Define port forwarding and port triggering.

Port forwarding opens a port in a firewall and directs traffic on that port to IP address on LAN. Port triggering opens an incoming connection to one computer automatically based on specific outgoing connection.

What is the PXE and how do you use it?

Preboot Execution Environment. Used to install Windows over a network. To use it, enter BIOS, locate screen with NIC, enable PXE setting there, and change the boot order to boot from the network.

PXE

Preboot execution environment. Allows computer to load OS from a server.

What does QoS do?

Quality of Service (QoS) limits bandwidth for certain types of data based on application protocol, the IP address of a computer, and so on.

What is the difference between a quick format and a full format?

Quick format removes files from the drive. A full format removes files from the drive and scans for bad sectors.

Explain RAID 0/1/5/6.

RAID 0 is disk striping. RAID 1 is disk mirroring/duplexing. RAID 5 is disk striping with distributed parity; requires three drives. RAID 6 is disk striping with extra parity; requires five drives.

What is RAID 0+1 and RAID 1+0?

RAID 0+1 is two pairs of striped drives that are mirrored. RAID 1+0 is two pairs of mirrored drives that are striped.

How many drive failures can RAID 5/6 tolerate?

RAID 5 tolerates one; RAID 6 tolerates two.

Explain some benefits of hardware RAID.

RAID controllers come with their own processors, which eases the workload on the system. In addition, the drives are hot-swappable.

Explain dual-channel RAM and installation requirements.

RAM is 64-bits wide by MCC moves between two sticks, increasing data retrieval. Must be installed in pairs because the system treats them as one stick of RAM.

Where can you find a PC's RAM information?

Under the SWhystem applet.

Define and describe UEFI (EFI). Bonus: What OS supports UEFI?

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. Upgraded version of BIOS that supports 32-bit and 64-bit interfaces. Handles boot-loading duties. Bonus: Only found on Win7 x64.

My impact printer has white bars showing up. I need that print job, stat!

White bars indicate dirty or damaged print-head. Clean print-head with denatured alcohol. If that fails, you will need to replace the print-head.

What is WPA?

Wi-Fi Protected Access is an upgrade to WEP. Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) provides a new encryption key for every packet, and the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) provides username/password access.

____ is like an upgraded version of Vista Home Premium, plus it includes support for joining domains.

Win7 Professional.

My sound program keeps giving me an error. What should I do?

Write down the error code and go to program's support site.

Does installing a printer in Windows require administrator access?

Yes.

If you're trying to share multiple parallel printers, you'll need a ____. Laser printers should never use this, however, because it creates power surges that can damage them. Instead, laser printers should use a ____.

mechanical switch box; switch box that switches between printers electronically

What command is used to convert a FAT32 drive to NTFS?

convert d: /fs:ntfs converts drive D: to NTFS.

A ____ tablet PC includes a foldable keyboard, while a ____ tablet PC does not.

convertible; slate

Where are Event logs stored?

%SystemRoot%\System32\Config

Explain AMR/CNR.

(Audio Modem Riser and Communications and Network Riser. Slots for devices that prevents unwanted electronic transmissions. Less popular now because most motherboards have onboard network/sound.

List four error messages indicating lost CMOS information.

1. CMOS configuration mismatch. 2. CMOS date/time not set. 3. No boot device available. 4. CMOS battery state low.

What are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Windows Vista? (CPU, RAM, HDD, network, display, and optical drive.)

1. CPU: 1 GHz (min), any dual-core processor (rec). 2. MEMORY: 512 MB (Basic) and 1GB for everything else (min), 2 GB RAM (rec). 3. HDD: 20GB HDD (Basic) and 40 GB HDD (everything else) with 15GB free (min), 100GB HDD (rec). 4. NETWORK: Modern network card with Internet (min/rec). 5. DISPLAY: DirectX 9 graphics with 32MB memory (Basic) and 128MB memory plus pixel shader 2.0 support, the WDDM driver, and 32-bits per pixel (min), DirectX10 graphics with 512MB available. 6. OPTICAL DRIVE: Any DVD media drive (min/rec).

What are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Windows 7? (CPU, RAM, HDD, network, display, and optical drive.)

1. CPU: 1 GHz processor (x86 or x64). 2. MEMORY: 1GB RAM (x86) or 2GB RAM (x64). 3. HDD: 16GB available (x86) or 20GB (x64). 4. NETWORK: Modern network card with Internet (min/rec). 5. DISPLAY: DirectX 9 graphics with WDDM 1.0 or higher. 6. OPTICAL DRIVE: DVD drive.

What are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Windows XP Professional? (CPU, RAM, HDD, network, display, and optical drive.)

1. CPU: 233 MHz (min), 300 MHz (rec). 2. MEMORY: 64 MB (min), 512 MB (rec). 3. HDD: 1.5GB (min), 4GB (rec). 4. NETWORK: None (min), modern network card (rec). 5. DISPLAY: SVGA videocard 800×600 resolution (min), DirectX videocard with 1024×768 (rec). 6. OPTICAL DRIVE: Any CD/DVD (min/rec).

What error messages indicate corrupt boot files?

1. Cannot find COMMAND.COM. 2. Error loading operating system. 3. Invalid BOOT.INI. 4. NTLDR is missing or corrupt.

What are the colors of the ink cartrigdes that laser printers use?

CMYK (K is key).

What happens if you copy an encrypted file to a non-NTFS drive?

It loses its encryption.

What are the two most common laptop resolutions?

WXGA for 14- to 15-inch models, and HD 1080 for 17.3 inch models.

Simple volumes act like primary partitions, except for one thing.

You can't install an OS on them.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_USERS

Stores personalized information about each user.

You should always ____ before loading it into the tray.

fan the ream of paper

What command should you run to access the Add Hardware Wizard?

hdwwiz.exe

A ___ transmits to all ports regardless of end destination.

hub

What are a projector's lumens? How many lumens would I want for a darkened room / mid-sized room with typical lighting / large room?

i. Lumens measure brightness. Lumens measure brightness of the projector. 1. Small, darkened room—1,000 to 1,500 lumens. 2. Mid-sized room with typical lightning—2,000 lumens. 3. Large rooms—10,000 lumens.

MBR and GPT create a ____; dyanmic disk creates a ____. Windows describes any act of creating a drive structure as ____.

partition; volume; creating a volume.

The most common type of patch panel uses a connector called a ___.

110 block (110-punchdown block)

Windows x86 handles ___ cores, but Windows x64 handles up to ___.

32; 256

Four stages of command execution.

1. "Fetch" data from EDB. 2. "Decode" data to know what command to execute. 3. "Execute" the calculation. 4. "Write" the data back to the EBD.

What is the maximum speed of an analog modem?

1. 2400 baud.

There are two main sound card standards, the AC'97 and the Intel High Definition Audio (Azalia). 1. How many channels does each support? 2. What are the sampling and bit depths of each?

1. AC'97 is for lower-end audio devices, supporting up to six channels @ 48 KHz/20-bit quality. 2.Azalia is the HD audio option, supporting up to eight channels @ 192 KHz/32-bit quality. Azalia can also send multiple streams of audio from one computer to different output devices.

In Windows XP Professional and the professional editions of Vista/Win7, the following are users. 1. Administrators. 2. Power users. 3. Users. 5. Guest. 6. HelpServicesGroup and Remote Desktop Users. Describe them.

1. Administrators have complete control. 2. Power users are the same as administrators, but cannot install new devices or access users' files/folders without permissions. 3. Users cannot edit Registry or access critical system files. 4. Everyone applies to anyone who logs in, and the permissions cannot be changed. 5. Guest allows users to log in without an account. 6. HelpServicesGroup and Remote Desktop Users exist on XP Professional on a Windows Domain.

Use a ____ fire extinguisher to put out a PC fire.

Class C.

Microsoft provides an e-mail server for large businesses called ____.

Exchange.

Where should I configure a USB device?

Device manage.r

What is dithering?

Dithering uses closely-packed monocolor dots to create an image.

How do I enable APM/ACPI?

Set APM Enabled mode in the BIOS.

What is a POTS line?

Plain old telephone service is a regular telephone line.

Name three security features access via CMOS.

1. Chassis intrusion detection. Logs when the case is opened and posts a notice on the following reboot. 2. ATA Security Mode Feature Set (drivelock) — protects unwanted access to hard drive. 3. LoJack security — track PC's location, install a keylogger, or remotely shut it down.

List the three Bluetooth classes, their power usage, and their ranges.

1. Class 1 - 100 mW - 100 meters. 2. Class 2 - 2.5 mW - 10 meters. 3. Class 3 - 1 mW - 1 meter.

What are Class A / Class B / Class C IP addresses?

1. Class A licenses are for huge companies and organizations. Their subnet mask is 255.0.0.0. 2. Class B licenses are for mid-size companies. Their subnet mask is 255.255.0.0 3. Class C licenses are for smaller LANs. Their subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

What are the address ranges for Class A / B / C networks?

1. Class A ranges from 1-126. 2. Class B ranges from 128-191. 3. Class C ranges from 192-223.

What are the private address ranges for Class A / B / C networks?

1. Class A: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255. 2. Class B: 172.16.0.0 to 169.254.255.254. 3. Class C: 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.254.

What is the typical speed of cable Internet?

1-10 Mbps upload and 6-100+ Mbps download.

Video cards require a minimum amount of RAM to support certain resolutions. List the required RAM for the following resolutions: 1. 640 × 480. 2. 800 × 1600. 3. 1024 × 768. 4. 1280 × 1024. 5. 1600 × 1200.

1. 640 × 480: 1MB for 16-bit and 24-bit. 2. 800 × 1600: 1MB for 16-bit; 2MB for 24-bit. 3. 1024 × 768: 2MB for 16-bit; 4MB for 24-bit. 4. 1280 × 1024: 4MB for 16-bit and 24-bit. 5. 1600 × 1200: 4MB for 16-bit; 6MB for 24-bit.

What is a MIDI file? What is FM synthesis? What is wave table synthesis?

1. A small text file that tells the sound card which notes to play. 2. Electronic emulation of various instruments. 3. Uses prerecorded instrument sounds to reproduce an instrument's note.

Explain a workgroup.

1. All networked computers must have the same name for the workgroup. Computers are by default assigned to WORKGROUP. 2. All computer on the network are equals. 3. Must log on to other computers to access resources.

1. What are the two services Apple uses to sync their devices? 2. What is the main limitation of Apple syncrhonization? 3. iTunes will run on any Mac OS X machine, but what does Windows require?

1. Apple products sync through iTunes or iCloud. 2. Apple devices cannot sync files FROM the mobile device to the PC. 3. XP Service Pack 2 or better.

I have a Windows XP system and keep getting messages like 1. No Boot Device Present. 2. NTLDR Bad or Missing. 3. Invalid BOOT.INI What do I do?

1. Boot from CD and enter Recovery Console. 2. When asked what XP installation to log on, choose "1" if there's only one installation. 3. fixmbr fixes master boot record. To restore system files: 1. Use cd\ to navigate to root directory. 2. copy [optical drive letter]:\i386\ntldr 3. copy [optical drive letter]:\i386\ntdetect.com 4. bootcfg /rebuild - restore boot.ini. Alternatively, if you have it available, you can use an ASR to restore Windows, though this takes longer.

Explain the three types of CD-ROMs and how they measure speed.

1. CD-ROMs just have read speed. 2. CD-Rs measure write/read. 3. CD-RWs measure write/rewrite/read.

Explain the three steps to install a SCSI drive.

1. Confirm controller works with drive. 2. Set unique SCSI IDs on controller and drive. 3. Connect ribbon cable and power connections. (Pin 1 on cable goes to pin 1 on drive and host adapter.)

What are the two ways to access Disk Management?

1. Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Computer Management --> Disk Management. 2. Start --> Run/Search --> diskmgmt.msc.

Explain the following SHIFT+ hotkeys: 1. DELETE. 2. F10. 3. SHIFT.

1. DELETE: Delete item permanently. 2. F10: Open shortcut menu for item (same as right-clicking). 3.SHIFT: Held down, this prevents autorun when using optical media.

Describe the following DVI connectors: 1. DVDI-D. 2. DVI-A. 3. DVI-A/D and DVI-I.

1. DVDI-D is digital. 2. DVI-A is analog (backwards compatible with VGA). 3. DVI-A/D and DVI-I accepts either DVI-D or DVI-A.

What are symptoms of dead, lit, and stuck pixels in an LCD monitor? How should you fix them?

1. Dead pixels never light up. 2. Lit pixels are pure white. 3. Stuck pixels remain a constant color. There's no way to fix these.

Event viewer shows Errors, Warnings, and Information. What are these?

1. Errors are events that stopped an application from working. 2. Warnings are events that could stop application from working. 3. Information is record-keeping.

1. When should you clean a laser printer? 2. What should you do every time you clean a laser printer? 3. What will happen if you scratch the photosensitive drum?

1. Every time you replace the toner. 2. Remember to reset the page counter so printer will remind you to perform maintenance again. 3. The scratch will appear on every page.

Symptoms of a dying HDD.

1. Frequent read/write errors. 2. Squealing, grinding/rumbling, or loud clicking. 3. Doesn't show up in Disk Management or CMOS.

The following are levels of APM. 1. Full On. 2. APM Enabled. 3. APM Standby. 4. APM Suspend. Describe them.

1. Full On—everything is running at full power. 2. APM Enabled—CPU/RAM at full power, power management enabled, unused devices may be shut down. 3. APM Standby—CPU is stopped, RAM stores programs, all peripherals shut down but configurations are still stored. 4. APM Suspend—everything is shut down or at its lower power-consumption setting. Many systems use hibernation, which writes critical configuration information to hard drive. When the system wakes up, it reads data from hard drive to return to APM Enabled mode.

The following are folder permissions. 1. Full control. 2. Modify. 3. Read and Execute. 4. List Folder Contents. 5. Read. 6. Write. Describe them.

1. Full control—do whatever you want. 2. Modify—full control but cannot delete files/subfolders, change permissions, or take ownership. 3. Read and Execute—see contents of the folder and subfolders. 4. List Folder Contents—see contents of folder and subfolders. 5. Read—view contents/open any file in a folder. 6. Write—write to files and create new files/folders.

List the three form factors of ATX motherboards and their dimensions. Bonus: What is the downside of the smallest ATX?

1. Full-sized 12" × 9.6". 2. microATX (µATX) is 9.6" × 9.6". 3. FlexATX is 9" × 7.5". Bonus: FlexATX often requires a special power supply.

ACPI levels are indicated as G (global) or S (sleeping) states. See the following: 1. GO/SO. 2. G1. 3. S1. 4. S2. 5. S3. 6. S4. 7. G2/S5. 8. G3. Describe them.

1. GO/SO—working state. 2. G1—sleeping state. 3. S1—CPU stops processing, power to CPU/RAM maintained. 4. S2—CPU powered down. 5. S3—sleep or standby mode, RAM still powered. 6. S4—hibernation mode, RAM information stored to nonvolatile memory/drive and powered off. 7. G2/S5—soft power off mode, most components reduced to G3 state but certain devices (keyboard, mouse, etc.) remain powered on. 8. G3—mechanical off, no power except real-time clock.

The following are application protocols. 1. HTTP. 2. FTP. 3. SFTP. 4. IMAP4. 5. POP3. 6. SMTP. 7. Telnet. 8. SSH. 9. RDP. 10. SIP. List their function and the ports they connect to.

1. HTTP - Web pages - port 80. 2. FTP - file transfer - port 20, 21. 3. SFTP - secure file transfer - port 22. 4. IMAP4 - incoming e-mail - port 143. 5. POP3 - incoming e-mail - port 110. 6. SMTP - outgoing e-mail - port 25. 7. Telnet - terminal emulation - port 23. 8. SSH - encrypted terminal emulation - port 22. 9. RDP - remote desktop - port 3389. 10. SIP - voice over IP - port 5060.

The following are application protocols. 1. HTTPS. 2. DNS. 3. DHCP. 4. LDAP. 5. SNMP. 6. SMB. List their function and the ports they connect to.

1. HTTPS - secure web pages - TCP - port 43. 2. DNS - allows use of DNS naming - UDP - port 53. 3. DHCP - automatic IP addressing - UDP - port 67, 68. 4. LDAP - querying directories - TCP - port 389. 5. SNMP - remote management of network devices - UDP - port 161. 6. SMB - Windows naming/folder sharing - TCP/UDP - port 445 / port 137, 138, 139.

When you test an outlet with a multimeter, what should the output read?

1. Hot + Ground should be 115v. 2. Hot + Neutral should be 115v. 3. Neutral + Ground should be 0v.

In Vista/Win7, Microsoft lists three kinds of updates: Important, Recommended, and Optional. Explain them.

1. Important updates address critical security/stability issues. 2. Recommended updates add features or enhancements. 3. Optional updates include device drivers, language packs, and other nonessentials.

List potential causes of overheating.

1. Improperly applied thermal paste--too much, too little, unevenly spread. 2. Poor ventilation. 3. Fan is not connected to the motherboard. 4. Environmental factors such as heat and humidity.

I have an eSATA drive but my motherboard doesn't have any eSATA connectors. List three solutions for my system.

1. Install an eSATA PCIe card. 2. Install an eSATA internal-to-external slot plate. 3. Purchase a USB-to-eSATA adapter plug.

Virtual PC is Windows's competitor to VMware, but it has some limitations. What are they?

1. It only works on Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. 2. It only supports Windows VMs.

Describe the following authentication factors. 1. Knowledge factors. 2. Ownership factor. 3. Inherent factor.

1. Knowledge factors—something the user knows, like password or PIN. 2. Ownership factor—something the user has, like ID card or security token. 3. Inherent factor—something that is part of the user, like a fingerprint or retinal pattern.

How do you test a motherboard's connectors with a multimeter?

1. Leave computer powered on with P1 attached. 2. Switch multimeter to DC, around 20v. 3. Molex connectors: red sockets should read 5v; yellow sockets should read 12v. 4. P1 connector: all power readings should range between 5v and 12v.

What are the four levels of UAC in Win7?

1. Level 1: Works as in Vista. 2. Level 2: Dialogue box that greys out background when programs try to make changes. 3. Level 3: Regular dialogue box that pops up when programs try to make changes. 4. Level 4: No UAC.

Describe the following support applications: 1. LDAP. 2. SNMP. 3. SMB. 4. SAMBA.

1. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) enables OS/applications to access directories. 2. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) enables remote query and configuration of most network components. 3. SMB (Server Message Block) functioned as the tools that moved a PC's name around a network in the days of NetBIOS. 4. SAMBA emulates SMB by making non-SMB operating systems on a network look like Windows.

How does the MBR boot the system?

1. MBR code looks to the partition table. 2. Partition table helps MBR code locate a partition with an OS. 3. Partition boot sector loads OS.

Here are several jacks commonly found on a soundcard. 1. Main speaker out. 2. Line out. 3. Line in. 4. Rear out. 5. Analog/digital out. Describe their purpose.

1. Main speaker out—standard speaker connector. 2. Line out—connects to external device such as CD or MP3 player, allows you to output sounds from computer. 3. Line in—connects to an external device such as CD or MP3 player to allow you to import sounds into computer. 4. Rear out—connects to rear speakers for surround sound. 5. Analog/digital out—special digital connection to external digital devices/speakers, and it acts as the analog connection to center and subwoofer channels.

In what situations are the following HDMI cables used: mini, micro, type E.

1. Mini HDMI is for tablet devices. 2. Micro HDMI used on phones. 3. Type E is used in automobile video systems.

List three niche market PSU form-factors.

1. Mini-AX and micro-ATX PSUs for smaller cases. 2. TFX12V — low-profile ATX systems. 3. SFX12V — Flex-ATX motherboards.

List the three form factors of ITX motherboards and their dimensions. Bonus: Where are ITX motherboards used most often, and what is their main advantage over ATX?

1. Mini-ITX is 6.7" × 6.7". 2. Nano-ITX is 4.7" × 4.7" and Pico-ITX is 3.8" by 2.8". Bonus: Most used for embedded systems and specialized devices like routers. Use less power than ATX.

Describe the 802.11n standard.

1. Multiple input/output (MIMO) uses multiple antennae to enhance throughput, up to 600 Mbps. 2. Transmit beamforming reduces dead spots. 3. Runs in 2.4 GHz mode but dual-banding runs in 2.4/5.8GHz simultaneous. 4. 300+ foot range.

How would I copy or move files from the command prompt?

1. Navigate to the directory holding the files. 2. copy (move) [filename] [path of new location]

There are three main battery types used in laptops. 1. Nickel-Cadmiun (Ni-Cd). 2. Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH). 3. Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion). Describe them. Bonus: Describe a lithium polymer (LiPO) battery.

1. Nickel-Cadmiun (Ni-Cd) were the first laptop batteries. They suffered from battery memory—would lose rechargeability if it was charged repeatedly without being totally discharged. 2. Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) are like Ni-Cd, but they are more durable and less toxic to the environment. 3. Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) are the most commonly used batteris today. They are immune to battery memory. While they have less total lifespan than Ni-MH batteries, they hold charge for twice as long. Danger: they will explode if overcharged. Bonus: Lithium polymer (LiPO) batteries are a variation of Li-Ion that have different shapes, predominantly feature in smaller electronics (tablets, smartphones, and portable media players).

There are five backup options in Windows XP. 1. Normal. 2. Copy. 3. Incremental. 4. Differential. 5. Daily. Describe them.

1. Normal—full backup, every archive bit turned OFF. 2. Copy—full backup, but every archive bit UNCHANGED. 3. Incremental—only copies files with archive bit on. Turns OFF the archive bit. 4. Differential—only copies files with archive bits on, leaves archive bits UNCHANGED. 5. Daily—makes a copy of all files changed that day, leaves archive bits UNCHANGED.

Explain the following WINDOWS+ hotkeys: 1. Nothing. 2. D. 3. L. 4. TAB. 5. PAUSE/BREAK.

1. Nothing: Opens start menu. 2. D: Desktop. 3. L: Lock computer. 4. TAB: Opens Windows Explorer, also used to cycle through the taskbar buttons or Flip 3D in Aero. 5. PAUSE/BREAK: Open the System Properties dialogue box. Used to access Device Manager.

What are objects and counters?

1. Object—system component can be managed by OS as a single entity. 2. Counter—tracks information about objects.

Explain the Ownership, Take Ownership, and Change Permission permissions.

1. Ownership—creating a new file/folder gives you ownership, which is total control. Can block admins from accessing file/folder. 2. Take Ownership—allows you to seize a file. Admins can do this for any file/folder. 3. Change Permission—allows you to give/take permissions.

1. Why aren't parallel ports that useful for printers? 2. What is the name of the standard that improves upon this? What mode does it operate in?

1. Parallel ports (DB-25 ports) are slow, with a maximum data transfer rate is only about 150 KBps. They rely heavily on software, eating up CPU power. It has poor performance for two-way communication. 2. The IEEE 1284 standard creates backward-compatible, high-speed, bidirectional parallel port. It operates in half-duplex mode.

List the seven steps of the laser printing process.

1. Processing. 2. Charging (negative charge to drum surface). 3. Exposing (laser strikes the drum). 4. Developing (relatively positive areas of the drum attract the toner particles). 5. Transferring (negatively charged toner particles leap from drum to paper). 6. Fusing (heat/pressure rollers melt toner). 7. Cleaning.

List five ways CMOS data is typically lost.

1. Pulling/inserting cards. 2. Touching or dropping something on the motherboard. 3. Dirt on the motherboard. 4. Faulty power supplies. 5. Electrical surges.

In Vista/Win7, users can give other users permissions when sharing files and folders. These are Reader, Contributor, and Co-Owner. What do these three levels do?

1. Reader—read-only permissions. 2. Contributor—read/write permissions, delete own files. 3. Co-owner—full control.

What does a frame have?

1. Recipient's MAC address. 2. Sender's MAC address. 3. The data itself. 4. Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) — method of verifying successful data transmission.

What are the two command line Registry editors?

1. Reg opens a full Registry editor with multiple levels of help. 2. Regsrv32 adds a dynamic link library (DLL) as command components.

1. Describe Remote Desktop. 2. What command accesses it? 3. Describe Remote Assistance. 4. How do I turn Remote Desktop/Remote Assistance on or off?

1. Remote Desktop is a Windows program that offers control over a remote server with graphical interface. 2. mstsc 3. Remote Assistance is required to give someone access to your computer via Remote Desktop. 4. XP: System applet --> Remote tab (Remote Desktop is not installed by default). Vista/Win7: System applet --> Remote settings.

List two Windows XP log files and their functions.

1. Setuplog.txt (tracks installation process, including registry changes, file copying, reboots, etc.). 2. Setupapi.log (tracks each piece of hardware as it is installed).

Explain the following link light signals. 1. Steady (green) light. 2. Flashing (green) light. 3. No light. 4. Flashing (amber) light. 5. Activity light.

1. Steady (green) light—properly functioning. 2. Flashing (green) light—intermittent connectivity. 3. No light—no activity. 4. Flashing (amber) light—collisions on the network, which is sometimes okay. 5. Activity light—turns on when card detects network traffic.

Define the following terms as they apply to the Registry: 1. String value. 2. Binary value. 3. DWORD value. 4. QWORD value.

1. String value—flexible, can contain any form of data. 2. Binary value—long strings of 1s and 0s. 3. DWORD value—32-bit binary. 4. QWORD value—64-bit binary.

List signs of catastrophic CPU failure.

1. Sudden BSoD. 2. Smell of burnt electronics. 3. Popping noise.

A good power suppressor has these four features.

1. Underwriters Laboratories UL 1449 for at least 330v. 2. Minimum of 800 joules rating. 3. A test/reset button. 4. Power conditioning to block EMI and RFI.

List the steps to performing a successful upgrade installation of Windows.

1. Uninstall and delete old, unnecessary, or unused files. 2. Defrag and run error checking. 3. Uncompress all files, folders, and partitions. 4. Perform a virus scan, then remove/disable virus checking software. 5. Disable virus checking in CMOS.

GUID Partition Tables work like MBR, but they have several advantages over MBR partitions. List them. Bonus: What are the system requirements for using GUID PTs?

1. Unlimited partitions (Microsoft limits to 128). 2. Can be larger than 2.2TB. 3. Eliminates need for LBA to convert to CHS values. 4. Does not use MBR code or partition table, uses GPT header and partition entry array. (Provides one copy at front and one at end for backup.) Bonus: Requires a UEFI motherboard and Vista/Win7.

List the steps in the process for installing a PCI card.

1. Unplug power. 2. Physically install card. 3. Remove old drivers, if you have them. 4. Install new drivers.

What versions of Windows include Bitlocker Drive protection?

1. Vista/Win7 Enterprise. 2. Vista/Win7 Ultimate.

Describe the two types of WPA encryption.

1. WPA-PSK (Pre-Shared Key) is the most common for small networks. 2. Enterprise is complex, and requires a RADIUS server. It is, however, very secure.

What versions of Windows have Windows Media Center?

1. Windows XP Media Center. 2. Vista/Win7 Home Premium. 3. Vista/Win7 Ultimate.

When installing Windows, what is the probable cause of the following errors: 1. RAID Array Not Detected. 2. No Boot Device Present (when booting off the Windows install disc). 3. Not Ready Error on Optical Drive. 4. BSOD after reboot at the end of text mode.

1. Windows may lack appropriate drivers, so install those. 2. Disk is scratched or Windows not set to boot from optical drive. 3. The install disc may be damaged, or the drive may not be fast enough. 4. Hardware may not be compatible with installation.

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista is a bit tricky. Explain the differences between versions.

1. XP Home can always upgrade to Vista. 2. XP Professional x64 must always have a clean install. 3. XP Professional/Tablet PC clean installs to Vista Home Basic/Premium and upgrades Vista Business/Ultimate.

Where are Registry files stored?

1. \%SystemRoot%\System32\config 2. User account folder.

How can I run the checkdisk command? What are two switches for it?

1. chkdsk 2. /f attempts to fix volume-related errors. 3. /r attempts to repair bad sectors.

List the following commands used to: 1. Format the system. 2. Display the name of the host computer. 3. Shut down the computer. 4. Reboot the computer.

1. format 2. hostname 3. shutdown 4. shutdown /r

What is the maximum webcam resolution before video feed slows down broadband?

1.3 megapixels.

List the three main speeds of Ethernet connections. Bonus: How many pairs of send/receive wires do they have?

10BaseT: 10 Mbps. One pair to send, one to receive. 100BaseT: 100 Mbps. One pair to send, one to receive. 1000BaseT: 1 Gbps. Four pairs of bidirectional wires.

Aero Requirements Bonus: What Windows versions does Aero NOT run on?

128 MB RAM 1 GHz CPU DirectX 9+ GPU that supports Pixel Shader 2.0 and Windows Display Driver Monitor. Bonus: Doesn't run on Win7 Starter, Vista Home Basic, or Win7 Home Basic.

SATA power connectors

15-pin connectors that supports 3.3v, 5v, and 12v devices.

A SCSI host adapter supports up to ____ devices through a process known as ___.

15; daisy-chaining.

By default, the maximum partition size of NTFS drives is ____.

16TB.

All equipment racks in a telecommunications room are ___ wide. Equipment racks are measured in ___, which is equal to ___.

19"; Us; 1.75"

How far can fiber optic cable transmit signals?

2,000+ meters.

Most laser printers have ___ gearboxes.

2-3

The maximum size an MBR partition is ____.

2.2TB.

P1 power connector

20- or 24-pin connector that connects to motherboard.

Describe the ATX12V 2.0 standard.

24-pin connector that is backward compatible with 20-pin connector. No AUX connectors, and it requires SATA power connectors. Requires two 12V rails for any PSU above 230 watts. Standard includes special 6-pin PCIe connector. Often includes 8-pin CPU connector.

Describe the EPSI12V standard. Bonus: What important advancement did this standard introduce?

24-pin main motherboard connecter with AUX connector, a P4 connector, and a unique 9-pin connector. Bonus: Introduced rails, in which three voltage rails supply 12v, 5v, and 3v currents. Some PSUs draw power from other rails when taxed.

What minimum resolution scanner should you purchase?

2400 x 2400 DPI.

The maximum partition size of FAT16 is ____.

2GB.

FAT32 supports partitions up to ____ and files up to ____.

2TB; 4GB.

Video RAM can be considerably wider than the system bus—up to ____ bits. Additionally, it can ____ data at the same time.

384; read and write

Describe the P4 connector.

4-pin motherboard connector introduced with ATXI2V 1.3. Supplies 12V power. Any PSU that has a P4 connect is called an ATX12V PSU.

External SCSI devices connect with ____ while internal SCSI devices connect with ____.

50-pin high-density connector; 68-pin ribbon cable.

What is the minimum wattage you should buy on a PSU?

500 watts. Go higher if you can.

Mini connectors

5v and 12v connectors for floppy disk drives (sometimes called floppy power connectors).

Describe the AUX connector.

6-pin motherboard connector introduced with ATX12V 1.3. Supplies 3.3- and 5v power to motherboard. Typically used on AMD CPUs.

In IPv6, network IDs are a maximum of ___ bits, so no subnet is longer than ____ bits. ____ subnets are distributed to large ISPs, while most others have subnets between ____ bits.

64; 64; 32-bit; 48 and 64

Single-ended SCSI has maximum cable length of ____ meters; differential SCSI has maximum of ____ meters.

6; 25.

What is Bitlocker Drive Protection?

A Control Panel applet that encrypts an entire drive. It requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to use.

What is a rootkit?

A Trojan horse that takes advantage of low-level operating systems to hide itself from anti-malware tools.

What is winload.exe?

A boot file in Vista/Win7 that loads hardware abstraction layer, system Registry, and drivers for boot devices. After which, ntoskrnl.exe takes over.

What is an audio interface?

A box hooked up to PC with inputs that allow for microphones and instruments.

What is a magic packet?

A broadcast that repeats the destination MAC address many times.

Describe a telecommunications room.

A central location where all cables run. All cables run horizontally from the telecom room to the PCs.

What is a DMZ?

A demilitarized zone (DMZ) disables firewall for systems with a specific IP address, opening all ports and enabling all incoming traffic.

What's a time-domain reflectometer tester?

A device that measures impedance in network cabling.

Explain a domain.

A domain controller (computer running Windows Server) controls the network, and users log onto the domain, not their computers. New accounts are created on the domain controller, and domains offer single-sign on.

What is digital ink?

A feature that allows applications to accept pen strokes as input without first converting them to text/mouse clicks. Basically, it allows the user to store files as his own handwriting.

What is fragmentation?

A file is spread over non-consecutive clusters.

What is a global address?

A global address is required to access the Internet. When accessing an IPv6 network, the computer sends out a router solicitation (RS) message, and router responds with router advertisement (RA). The RA gives the computer its network ID and subnet.

What is a PAN?

A network for interconnecting devices centered on an individual person's workspace.

What is a port replicator?

A port replicator plugs into a single port (often USB) and offers additional ports, such as parallel, USB, network, and PS/2.

Although no true cabling standard for printers exists, what is typically used? What is the maximum length of this cable?

A printer cable with male DB-25 connector and 36-pin Centronics connector. The standard cable is less than 6', but longer cables exist. Just ensure they are IEEE 1284-compliant.

Describe how dye-sublimation printers (thermal dye transfer printers) work.

A roll of plastic film is heated, vaporizing the dye and causing it to soak into special paper underneath. Documents are continuous-tone images (a continuous blend of dye colors). These printers are very expensive.

What are duplex assemblies?

A setup that allows a printer to print on both sides of paper.

What is a printer server?

A standalone network device that allows regular printers to connect to the network.

A partition is ____.

A subdivision of a hard drive.

What's the difference between a thick client and a thin client?

A thick client is a general desktop computer, whereas a thin client is designed for one specific purpose.

What is a tone generator, what is a tone probe, and what common brand is used?

A tone generator connects to the cable and sends a signal along the wire, and a tone probe emits a sound when it is placed near a cable connected to the tone generator. The pair are often referred to as "Fox and Hound," a brand name toner.

What drive letters does Windows reserve for floppy drives?

A: and B:.

What's the difference between 24-bit colors and 32-bit colors?

ABOUT EIGHT BITS HAH. 32-bit color offers 24-bit color plus 8-bit alpha channel (controls opacity, allows blending of colors).

How do I find the IP address on an Apple device? What about an Android device?

APPLE: "Settings" icon --> "Wi-Fi Networks" --> find SSID --> tap on the blue arrow button next to the active networks name ANDROID: Settings --> About phone --> Status.

ASCII is an 8-bit 256-bit language but has a special purpose for printers. What is it?

ASCII control codes for transferring data, some of which apply to printers, and all printers respond to these codes.

What is ATAPI?

AT Attachment Packet Interface. Part of ATA-2 standard. Enabled other devices to connect via ATA controllers using the same 40-pin connectors and master/slave jumpers.

How can I share a file or folder across a network?

Access the folder's properties, set the network permissions to full, and then adjust the individual NTFS permissions to customize.

As part of using a virtual machine, you'll need to _____.

Activate virtualization support in the CMOS settings.

What is the difference between active and passive cooling?

Active cooling is the use of fans to reduce the heat of computer components. Active cooling contrasts with passive cooling, which involves reducing the speed at which a component is running to reduce its heat.

Describe the ATA-5 standard.

Added Ultra DMA modes and introduced 80-wire cable (40-pin cable with 40 extra wires) to improve speed. Defined where controller, master drive, and slave drivers connected.

My impact printer is printing faded images but the ribbon is good. Help?

Adjust the print-head closer to platen.

How can I locate all shared folders in Vista/Win7?

Administrative Tools --> Computer Management Console --> System Tools --> Shared Folders.

What is the name of the applet found in professional editions of Windows that controls Users and Groups? How can it be accessed?

Administrative Tools applet --> Computer Management --> Local Users and Tools.

The Home Editions of Windows allow only three groups: Users, Guests, and Administrators. Describe them.

Administrators and Guests function as standard, but Users differ between Windows Editions. XP has "limited users," which have very few permissions. Vista/Win7 Users cannot harm computer or uninstall applications, but they can use most applications.

Explain AHCI. Bonus: How and when do you enable it?

Advanced Host Controller Interface, available on Vista and later OSs. Its main feature is making SATA drives hot-swappable, and it includes NCQ (native command queueing) to speed up read/write times. Bonus: Enabled through the Registry, and must be enabled BEFORE installing Vista/Win7 or the system will bluescreen.

Where can I find the Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure option?

Advanced startup options.

In an IPv6 address, you can never have an address of only ____.

All 0s, all 1s, or Fs.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

All data for a system's non-user-specific configuration.

Which editions of Windows can upgrade to Windows 7?

All editions pre-Vista must clean install. 32-bit Vista upgrades to Win7 x86 only; 64-bit Vista upgrades to Win7 x64 only.

What are the three requirements of structured cable networks?

All structured cable networks require a telecommunications room, horizontal cabling, and a work area.

What is ntldr? What is boot.ini? What is ntdetect.com?

All three are system files used in Windows XP. The NT loader reads boot.ini. Boot.ini lists the OSes available and points the NT loader to the boot partition.

What does fast user switching do?

Allows account switching without full log-off.

How does hyper-threading work?

Allows the CPU to process multiple threads at once. Threads are the smallest smallest sequence of programmed instructions that can be handled by scheduler.

Describe a password reset disk.

Allows user to reset password without relying on administrator, although domains do not allow the use of them. Vista/Win7 have an option to create under User Accounts.

In the Processes tab of Task Manager, "set affinity" does what?

Allows you to change which processors run a process.

My thermal printer ain't printing. What should I do?

Always feed paper through the heating element or else it won't print. Likewise, ensure you feed the ribbon past the heating element.

I want to upgrade my videocard. How should I go about installing the new card's drivers?

Always uninstall the old video card's drivers before installing a new video card. To access a videocard's drivers: XP: Display applet (XP) --> Display Properties --> Settings tab --> Advanced button. Vista: Personalization applet (Vista) --> Display Settings  Monitor tab --> Advanced Settings. Win7: Display applet (Win7) --> Tasks list --> Change display settings --> Advanced Settings. After this point: Adapter tab --> Properties --> Driver tab

What is bit rate?

Amount of information transferred from compressed file to decoder in one second.

Explain an extended partition.

An extended partition is a partition that is subdivided into logical drives. The extended partition does not receive a drive letter, but the logical drives do.

What is WPA2?

An upgraded version of WPA that is the most secure service, using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and other improvements.

How should I set up an e-mail account for my Android device?

Android devices assume you have a Gmail account. To set up alternative e-mail, simply go about it the same way you'd set up a desktop e-mail.

What are APIs? What are the most popular APIs?

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are a library of commands for 3D games. Most popular are OpenGL and DirectX.

What are attributes? Describe the four types.

Attributes are 1-bit storage areas that all files have. 1. Hidden—concealed from view. 2. System—indicates critical file. 3. Read-only—can't be erased. 4. Archive—switch that marks whether the file needs to be backed up. If it's on, the file has changed since the last backup. If it's off, there's a good backup.

When installing a USB device, you should always install device drivers at what point?

BEFORE plugging the device in.

What is option ROM?

BIOS settings in a ROM chip located on the hardware itself. Not commonly used except on video cards.

Vista and Win7 use the ____ to back up data. This replaces ____ from XP. There are two options, back up system and back up files. Describe them.

Back Up and Restore Center; ntbackup Back up system saves the whole computer on a system image. Back up files works differently between versions. In Vista, it only backs up personal information for all users. In Win7, it will back up everything, if there's room.

Explain the BIOS.

Basic input/output services. Stored on ROM to ensure that the computer can communicate with basic devices on the computer. Supports hardware that rarely changes, such as mouse and keyboard.

What is a desktop replacement laptop?

Big, beefy laptop with a full-size keyboard, optical drive, and large hard drive. They're far more powerful than other laptops but less portable.

Describe the Bluetooth standards and their data speeds.

Bluetooth 1.1/1.2 runs around 1 Mbps, whereas 2.0/2.1 use Enhanced Data Rate to run up to 3 Mbps.

How can I access Windows Recovery Environment in Vista/Win7?

Boot from the DVD to load the WindowsPE environment, then load WindowsRE. Alternatively, if you've installed the system recovery tools on your computer, you may access this from Advanced Boot Options (F8 during startup) --> repair your computer. (Win7 only)

What is bootmgr and where is it stored?

Bootmgr is a file used in Vista/Win7 systems. It reads data from Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file, then loads winload.exe. 1. Vista stores bootmgr in root directory of boot drive. 2. Win7 stores bootmgr in special 100-MB system partition.

How do I run error-checking and defragemtnation?

Both programs are listed under System Tools. You can also run error-checking through the command prompt with chkdsk. You can also right-click the drive --> Properties --> Tools --> check now.

What is the function of bridges in a network?

Bridges connect Ethernet networks that use different media, such as UTP to fiber or UTP to wireless.

List the five common types of network.

Bus—all computers connect to main line (bus cable). Ring—computers connect to central ring of cable.Star — computers connect to central wiring. Mesh—all computers connect to all other computers. Star bus — hybrid with main line shrunk down to box that all computers connect to.

What is CD-quality audio?

CD quality is sound captured at 44.1 KHz with 16-bit depth and in stereo.

CD-RW discs allow data to be written and re-written—but only a limited number of times. Describe the file format and method of data writing.

CD-RWs store data using UDF. Packet writing CD-RWs store data using UDF.

DVD-R and DVD+R work like ____. DVD-RW and DVD+RW work like ____. DVD-RAM works like ____ but needs special equipment. Why?

CD-Rs; CD-RWs; CD-RW; needs special equipment because it's a cartridge.

Explain CMOS.

Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. Acts as a clock and stores information about specific device parameters. BIOS:LANGUAGE, CMOS:DIALECT.

The nslookup command ____.

Determines what information the DNS server is giving you about a specific host name.

What happens to the persmissions of a file when you copy it? What happens to the persmissions of a file when you move it?

COPYING: The original always retains its permissions; the duplicate inherits permissions of its new location. MOVING: The file always inherits permissions of its new location (always original permissions when moving within the same partition).

What is printer calibration?

Calibration matches print output of printer to visual output on screen.

Explain the difference between capacitive and resistance touch screens.

Capacitive touch screens determine finger placement by measuring the difference between the electrical charge in body and stat charge on the screen. Resistance touchscreens—responded to pressure on screen.

How should you replace the CMOS battery?

Carefully. Leave the PC plugged into AC outlet and use screwdriver to pry battery out (gently).

What is CSMA/CA?

Carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance. It's a standard in which the wireless node listens to see if another node is broadcasting data. If so, it waits a random time and retries.

List the types of Ethernet cable.

Cat 1 — telephone cable. Cat 3 — 10Mbps, a variant allows for 100Mbps. Old. Cat 5 (5e) — 100Mbps (1Gbps). Cat 6 — 1Gbps at 100-meter segments. 10Gbps at 55-meter segments. Cat 6a — 10Gbps at 100-meter segments.

What is burn-in failure?

Catastrophic motherboard failure due to manufacturer defects. Usually occurs within a month of use.

All the IPs on my network are in the 169 range and can't connect to the Internet. What?

Chances are the DHCP server is down because all the systems have APIPA addresses. Try resetting the router/modem. If that doesn't work, call the ISP.

When I use video capture, the audio and visual don't syncrhonize properly. Help.

Change the software or versions of software you're using. If that doesn't work, try recording analog signal into digital camcorder and then capture from the digital device. As a last resort, separate audio/video streams and put them together synced properly.

My screen is ghosting, streaking, and it has fuzzy edges. What should I do?

Check cable connections and the cable itself, but it's probably a video card issue.

What should you do if an expansion card shows a black "!" on yellow circle in Device Manager?

Check device's connections and reinstall drivers with Update Driver button.

My printer isn't printing. What should I do?

Check printer applet to see if printer shows up. If not, reinstall it using Add Printer Wizard. If the printer shows up but refuses to print, try: Right-click printer --> Properties --> Print directly to printer. You may also need to restart the print spooler service. My Computer --> Manage (admin privileges) --> Services and Applications --> Services --> Print Spooler. Lastly, the Printer may be waiting for correct paper. You can usually override this by pressing OK or GO printer button.

My laser printer is grabbing multiple sheets of paper, and I KNOW it's not the humidity. How do I fix it?

Check the separation pad on the printer (small piece of cork/rubber that separates sheets as they are pulled from paper feed tray). A worn pad looks shiny, and replace as necessary. It's possible the printer's overheating, too, so give it a rest.

What is DLT?

Digital Linear Tape (DLT) holds up to 800 GB on a tape volume, used for backups.

Define client and server.

Client: computer that requests information. Server: remote computer that stores information. Any computer running a shared network is considered a server.

____ cable has a core surrounded by insulation, which is covered with a shield of braided cable.

Coaxial.

MPEG-21 focuses on ____.

Coding/digital rights.

What are color depth and grayscale, and what are the minimums on a good scanner?

Color depth determines bits of information the scanner uses to describe each dot; grayscale is the same for black/white. 48-bit is good for color-depth, and 16-bit is good for grayscale.

What are the differences between dynamic and condenser microphones?

Condenser microphones can record a wide range of sound at high quality, but they are larger, more delicate, and require power. Dynamic microphones are more rugged and don't need to be powered.

What should you do if an expansion card shows a down arrow or red X error in Device Manager?

Confirm device is enabled, and roll back the drivers (if you updated them) or uninstall them (if they are new). Confirm the card is properly installed, and redo installation procedure. If this doesn't work, return the card.

How do I add or remove Windows components in Vista/Win7?

Control Panel --> Programs and Features --> turn Windows features on/off.

While installing Windows using GUI, the system told me it can't read the CAB files. The disk isn't scratched. What should I do?

Copy all files from source directory onto local HDD and run WINNT32.EXE from there. (If the system can't read the files on the disc, the drive may be bad.)

AMD links graphics cards with ____ and NVIDIA links with ____.

CrossFire; Scalable Link Interface (SLI)

Explain DDR2 and DDR3 RAM.

DDR2 RAM is like DDR RAM, but it runs faster using less power. DDR3 RAM doubles the buffer of DDR2 RAM from 4 bits to 8 bits, and some allow overclocking with an extended memory profile.

Describe DSL connections. What's the difference between asynchronous DSL and syncrhonous DSL?

DSL uses a standard telephone line but special equipment to create faster connections. The typical upload speed is 768 Kbps and download speed is around 3 Mbps. Asynchronous DSL has slow upload speed and fast download speed, but Synchronous DSL has identical upload and download speeds, but costlier.

What causes dark ghosting in a laser printer and how do you treat it?

Dark ghosting may be caused by a damaged drum, which is fixed by replacing toner cartridge.

What is DEP?

Data Execution Prevention (DEP)—monitors system files to inhibit viruses and malware.

Explain the three data caches processors use.

Data caches are static RAM (SRAM) that preload instructions and keep copies of previously-used instructions on-hand to speed the processor. L1 is the smallest and fasted; L2 is in the middle; and L3 is the largest and slowest.

I'm trying to open a file, but it says "not a valid Win32 application." What's wrong with the file, and what should I do?

Data corruption. Run error-checking to mark the bad sectors and move the data to good sectors.

What is data roaming and how can I turn it off?

Data roaming—jumping cell towers and providers to provide seamless Internet connectivity. You can turn this off in the Settings app.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

Defines class objects—named group of functions that define what you can do with the object it represents.

How often should you defragment a drive? How do you defragment a drive?

Defragment about once a month. My Computer --> right-click drive --> Properties --> Tools --> Defragment now.

How do I turn my PC into a print server?

Devices and Printers applet --> right-click installed printer --> Printer properties --> Sharing tab --> Share this printer.

What is signal-to-noise ratio?

Describes the relative quality of an input port on a sound card. It's measured in decibels; bigger numbers are better. High-end cards can offer 100+ dBs.

List SDRAM pin configurations.

Desktop: 168. Micro-DIMM (laptops): 68, 144, or 172. Small-outline DIMM (laptops) — 72, 144, or 200. 72-pin SO-DIMM needed two sticks of RAM because each stick provided half the bus width.

List RDRAM pin configurations.

Desktop: 184. Laptop: 160.

What is PPP?

Dial-up networking uses the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP).

How do direct thermal printers work? How do thermal dye printers work?

Direct thermal printers burn dots into a special heat-sensitive paper. Thermal wax printers work like dye-sublimation printers, but they use wax and dithering, and they don't require special paper.

What is disk cleanup and how do you access it?

Disk cleanup deletes old and unused files, clears temporary Internet files. ACCESS: 1. Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools. 2. Right-click drive --> Properties --> General tab --> Disk Cleanup.

Explain dynamic disks and the volume types.

Divide the disk into volumes, which allow for unlimited divisions, unlike MBR partitioning. Simple volumes work like primary partitions. Spanned volumes—use free space on multiple drives to create a volume. Striped/mirrored volumes—RAID 0/RAID 1 volumes. RAID 5 volumes—3+ dynamic disks with free space to create RAID 5.

List the four default libraries in Win7.

Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos.

How do dot-matrix printers work? Bonus: What is the name for the case that holds the printwires?

Dot-matrix printers use a grid of tiny pins (printwires) to strike a printer ribbon and produce images. The printhead is the case that holds the printwires.

List features of DDRAM.

Double Data Rate RAM. Works like RDRAM, but less expensive and not all slots must be filled. Doubles throughput of RAM by running two processes per clock cycle.

What is DHCP?

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol creates a pool of IP addresses temporarily given to machines.

What are the names given to the 8-pin CPU connector sometimes found in the ATX12V 2.0 standard?

EPS12V, EATX12V, and ATX12V 2x4.

Explain how SCSI IDs work.

Each SCSI device requires an ID, ranging from 0 to 15. Technicians often set the host adapter to 7 or 15.

What is the most communication configuration for a serial port?

Eight data bits, no parity, one stop bit.

List the symptoms of overheating.

Either the system won't boot or it locks up shortly after booting. Usually, it's not the CPU itself but the heat-sink and fan causing issues.

What does disk cleanup do? How often should you run it? How do you run it?

Eliminates files in Recycling Bin, temporary Internet files, downloaded program files, and temporary files. Should run once a month. Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Cleanup.

What is an emulator?

Emulators are software/hardware that converts commands from host machine to a different platform.

What does error-checking a drive do? How often should you run it? How do you run it?

Error-checking marks bad clusters, finds invalid filenames (and will attempt to fix them), and locates clusters without filenames (lost chains) (and will erase them). Should run it once a week. My Computer --> right-click drive --> Properties --> Tools --> Check now.

Describe an ad hoc (peer-to-peer) wireless network. Bonus: What is an IBSS?

Every wireless node is in contact with every other wireless node. Bonus: An Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS) is when 2+ nodes are communicating.

How do I map a network drive in XP, Vista, and Win7?

Explorer --> Tools --> Map Network Drive --> find shared drive.

Describe an ExpressCard.

ExpressCards are the serial version of PC cards. They tpically connect via USB 2.0 or in a PCIe slot. They come in two standards. ExpressCard/34—34 mm wide, 5 mm thick, 75 mm long. ExpressCard/54—54 mm, 5 mm thick, 75 mm long.

What are device drivers and where are they stored?

Files that contain all the commands necessary to talk to supported devices. They are stored in the Registry and loaded into the RAM every time the device boots.

My computer gave me a "Registry File Failure" and "Windows could not start" errors. What do I do?

First, try Last Known Good Configuration. If that fails, you'll need to restore the registry. On XP, it's a difficult and complicated manual process. On Vista/Win7, access the WindowsRE command prompt. 1. Enter the "reg" command. 2. xcopy C:\Windows\System32\config\Regback C:\Windows\System32\config

What is the frontside bus? What is the backside bus?

Frontside bus is the address bus and external data bus. Backside bus is the connection between the CPU and the L2 caches.

What's the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex mode? Bonus: What can happen if the duplex mode is wrong?

Full-duplex mode allows a NIC to send and receive data at the same time, while half-duplex mode only allows device to do one at a time. Bonus: You'll have poor throughput.

All mobile devices have identifiers that work like MAC addresses. What is the name of the process that allows companies and the government to track their location? Bonus: How can you disable this in iOS and Android?

Geotracking. Bonus: Turn off Location Services (iOS) or GPS Services (Android).

What is HDCP?

High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Only HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort cables support HDCP—not VGA.

What is an HBA?

Host bus adapter. It connects a host system (the PC) to network and storage devices.

One of the benefits of using hypervisors is the energy savings. Why is this?

Hypervisors replaces the need for multiple PCs with different OSs, so you can put them all on a single machine. Fewer machines and less electricity translates to BIG SAVINGS.

What are symptoms and solutions of component failure?

Individual connection failures on the motherboard that appear as inconsistent connections between device and motherboard, often appearing as intermittent problems. Solution: use an add-on card instead of the device; sometimes flashing the BIOS helps.

Wi-Fi is known as the ____ standard. Network nodes communicate using spread-spectrum radio waves over one of two industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) radio bands: ____ GHz and ____ GHz.

IEEE 802.11; 2.4; 5.8

Describe IPv6.

IPv6 is the 128-bit replacement for IPv4. Each address is composed of eight hextets, groups of four hexadecimal characters.

What is the IPv6 loopback address?

IPv6 loopback address is ::1.

What does disk initialization do, and what do the statuses mean?

Identifies a drive and defines its functions. Statuses: Foreign—when you move a dynamic disk from one computer to another. (Fix by right-clicking drive -->  Import Foreign Drive.) Formatting—occurs during formatting. Failed—disk damaged or corrupted. Online—everything is okay. Offline—disk is corrupted or having communications problems.

What is one step you should take to make upgrading your computer easier?

If possible, pick a motherboard that works with higher speed CPUs than you can afford.

My overflow tank is almost full. What should I do?

If the tank overflows, it will ruin the printer. Soak up the ink with a twisted paper towel.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

If the values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE have more than one option, this root key defines which is currently used.

How do impact printers work?

Impact printers press ink ribbon against the paper's surface.

High-end smartphones use OLEDs. Explain OLEDs.

In OLEDs, an electric current is applied to an organic compound, causing the organic layer to glow in spots desired. This replaces the need for backlights.

What is FAT64 (exFAT)?

Increases 32-bit cluster entries to 64-bit, supporting files up to 16 exabytes and partitions up to 64 zettabytes. Otherwise, it works like FAT32, lacking NTFS features.

How can you make installing a motherboard easier?

Install CPU, CPU fan, and RAM into motherboard prior to installing the motherboard.

What does formatting a drive do?

Installs a file system onto HDD that organizes the partitions for use.

IDE

Integrated drive electronics. Another name for ATA hard drives.

What are APM/ACPI?

Intel created the Advanced Power Management (APM) specification and then the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI). It's a power-saving feature that shuts down devices to limit energy consumption. ACPI is an upgrade to APM that enables hotswapping.

List the alternative names for northbridge and southbridge.

Intel often calls the northbridge the Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and the southbridge the Input/Output Controller Hub (IOCH) or I/O Hub (IOH). AMD often calls the southbridge the Fusion Controller Hub (FCH).

Analog modems come in two forms, internal and external. Describe how they connect to the PC.

Internal modems have their own UART and connect via PCI slot. External modems connect via serial port or USB port.

What is ICS? How do I turn this on in Windows XP, Vista, and Win7?

Internet Connection Sharing enables one system (the ICS host computer) to share Internet connection with other systems on the network (client computers), just like a router. The ICS host must have NIC dedicated to internal connections—that means you might need a second NIC. XP. My Computer --> My Network Places --> My Network Places --> Properties --> Advanced tab  Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection. Vista/Win7. Network and Sharing Center applet --> Manage network connections (Vista) or Change Adapter Settings (Win7) --> Properties of the connection --> Sharing tab --> Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection.

How do I clear my SSL certificates in Windows Explorer?

Internet Explorer --> Internet Options --> Content tab --> Clear SSL state.

Describe the ATX12V 1.3 standard.

Introduced P4 and AUX connectors.

Describe the ATA-4 standard.

Introduced Ultra DMA (which is now the primary form of HDD communication with PC). Introduced the INT13 (Interrupt 13) extensions, new BIOS commands that feed LBA a stream of addressable sectors (could handle drives up to 137GB).

Explain a homegroup.

Introduced in Win7. Connects a group of computers using a common password (no username), and shares Libraries (not files and folders) by default.

What is a hidden partition?

Invisible partition only accessible with special BIOS tools.

Infrared wireless uses the ____ protocol. It transmits data up to ___ Mbps, and has a ___ meter range.

IrDA; 4; 1

What is a breakout box?

It adds recording/output ports in a 5.25" bay.

What is the function of the S/PDIF connector?

It allows you to connect sound card directly to 5.1 speaker system. Comes in both fiber optic and coaxial formats.

Explain the cd (chdir) command.

It changes directories. 1. cd\[new directory] 2. cd\ returns to root directory. 3. cd.. goes up on level.

What is the function of a router?

It connects LANs together using TCP/IP protocol.

What is the purpose of the inverter in LCD monitors?

It converts DC current to AC current to power the backlights.

Explain the md (mkdir) command.

It creates a new directory. To use it, you must navigate to the directory to create it in the proper location. md [directory name]

Explain the attrib command.

It displays the attributes of a file (A = archive, H = hidden, R = read-only, S = system). 1. To change a file's attributes, use attrib ± [attribute letter] [filename] 2. /s switch applies attributes to every file in the subdirectory.

Describe the 802.11g standard.

It has a 54 Mbps top speed, though average throughput is 25 Mbps average. It has a 300 foot range and is backwards compatible with 802.11b.

What is the Performance Console, and what are two ways to access it?

It is a Windows XP tool used to monitor system performance. To access it: 1. Administrative Tools --> Performance. 2. perfmon.msc

Describe the net command.

It lists the names of other computers on the network. 1. net view [computer name] shows any shares on that machine and whether they are mapped. 2. net use [drive] [share] will map the share to the drive indicated.

Why is my inkjet printer grabbing multiple sheets of paper?

It may be the humidity, or the printer may be overheating.

Tell me about XP's Backup Utility. Bonus: What does the Backing Up System State do?

It must be installed from the Windows CD-ROM. To access it: 1. System Tools. 2. Right-click drive --> Properties --> Backup now. 3. ntbackup. BUSS saves Registry and boot files.

Describe the 802.11a standard.

It operates in 5GHz mode, so it suffers from less interference. It has 54 Mbps top speed, but average throughput is 25 Mbps, and the maximum range is 150 feet.

What is the purpose of a CRT monitor's shadow mask?

It prevents electron guns from lighting wrong phosphors and color bleeding.

Explain the rd (rmdir) command.

It removes a directory. As with mkdir, you must navigate to the directory to delete it. Furthermore, the directory must be completely empty. 1. rd [directory name] 2. rd [directory name] /s deletes directory and all files and folders.

Explain the DIR command.

It shows directory contents. /p pauses the list and /w gives wide list format. <DIR> indicates a folder, and <JUNCTION> indicates a HDD mounted as a folder.

Describe the nbtstat command.

It stands for NetBIOS over TCIP/IP Statistics. nbtstat -s shows all connections.

Explain the robocopy command.

It stands for Robust File Copy, and it's used to copy files across a network. Robocopy is a powerful and potentially dangerous tool. For one, it replicates the structure from the source system onto the destination system, deleting anything that wasn't part of the copy. For another, it can copy encrypted files and those that deny administrator access. To use it: robocopy [source] [destination] [options] /mir copies everything from source and makes destination mirror it, deleting anything that doesn't match.

Explain the xcopy command.

It works like copy but can copy directories. /s copies all directories but empty ones, while /e copies all directories, including empty ones.

What is wake-on-LAN and how do I configure it?

It's a feature that allows the router to send a magic packet to "wake" a sleeping or hibernating PC. XP: Network Connections applet. Vista: Network and Sharing Center applet --> Manage network connections. Win7: Network and Sharing Center applets --> Change adapter settings. Then: Right-click adapter --> Properties --> Configure --> Power Management --> Allow this device to wake the computer.

What is network attached storage?

It's a headless system (no monitor/keyboard/mouse) that plugs into network. NAS has only one function: sharing its hard drives. It's controlled via web browser on any PC in the network.

What is a TrackPoint and how is it used?

It's a joystick the size of a pencil eraser in the middle of a laptop's keyboard. It was used as a mouse substitute but has largely fallen out of style in favor of touchpads.

What is contrast ratio, and what is a good contrast ratio?

It's a ratio that describes the brightness of white to black. 450:1 is a good ratio, and higher is better.

My print jobs are coming out as the wrong size. What do I do?

It's a user error in setting up the print job. If not, recheck printer drivers, uninstall/reinstall as necessary. There may be an issue with the print engine.

Windows XP uses Simple File Sharing. What is the weakness of this system?

It's all-or-nothing, so anyone you share with has full access.

My left speaker is way louder than my right. What's going on?

It's possible that there may be different wattages going to the speakers.

What is a link local address?

It's the IPv6 of APIPA. The first 64-bits are always FE80:: Windows creates a random number for the last 64-bits of the address when you activate a NIC.

What is IPsec?

Microsoft's encryption standard. It provides transparent encryption between server and client.

What is buffer underrun and how should you solve it?

It's the inability of the buffer RAM to keep the burner loaded with data. Results in unusable discs (coasters). You'll need a large buffer, 2MB minimum, and you should turn off other programs while burner is running. BURN-proof technology prevents buffer underrun.

What is Parallels?

It's the most popular VMM for Mac OS X, though it supports all popular OSs (including Windows/Linux).

JBOD

Just a Bunch of Disks. It's a storage system of multiple independent disks.

What are KVM switches?

Keyboard, video, and mouse switches allow multiple computers to be viewed/controlled by a single mouse, keyboard, and screen.

What are the two connector types associated with fiber cabling?

LC and SC.

Describe LGA. What company uses it most often?

Land grid array is a type of CPU preferred by Intel. The chip "lands" on pins in the socket.

My laser printer crashes on startup. Why and how do I fix this?

Laser printers use more power on startup than once they are running. Turn on the laser printer and allow it to warm-up before turning on your PC.

Describe the ATA-7 standard.

Last DMA mode: ATA/133, but biggest contribution was introduction of SATA.

What are some safety precautions you need to take when opening an LCD monitor?

Let it sit for a few minutes or you might get a shock from the inverter. Also ensure the inverter is cool to the touch because it gets very hot.

What causes light ghosting in a laser printer and how do you treat it?

Light ghosting may be caused by printing an extremely dark or complex image, which can leave the printer without enough loaded toner. You can reduce image resolution or make the dark patterns lighter and light patterns darker. Adjusting the print density and RET settings. You can also try printing a blank page prior to the ghosting image.

IPv6 allows up three IP addresses on a single network card. What are they? Bonus: IPv6 uses this instead of a regular broadcast.

Link-local address, one permanent global address, and one temporary global address. Bonus: a multicast,

What is a swap partition?

Linux and BSD-only partition that works like page file.

What OSs does the KVM hypervisor support?

Linux/Unix.

I have a saved system image. How do I use it to fix my computer?

Load Windows RE and select System Image Recovery (Win7) and Windows Complete PC Restore (Vista).

____ sets policies on an individual system; ____ sets policies for users in an entire domain.

Local Security Policy; Windows Active Directory Group Policy

What is a boot sector?

Location on storage device that stores OS.

Explain LBA.

Logical block addressing. By using sector translation, LBA overcomes BIOS's hardware limitations, expanding HDDs from a maximum of 504MB to 8.4GB.

What's the difference between a logical topology and physical topology?

Logical topology is how a network functions on paper, physical topology is how it functions in real life.

What is the danger of having too high or too low of voltage/amperage?

Low end won't supply enough power to start the device; high end will burn out the device.

What are the two standards included in USB 1.1?

Low-speed USB @ 1.5 Mbps. Full-speed USB @ 12 Mbps.

Define MIT and its function.

MB intelligent tweaker. Changes voltages and multipliers on the motherboard.

What is component services?

MMC snap-in that allows programmers to share data objects between applications on one computer or multiple networked computers.

Describe the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats.

MPEG-1 is just below VHS quality; MPEG-2 is television/DVD quality.

Describe the ATA-3 standard.

Main new feature was the inclusion of S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology), which monitors a hard drive and predicts when it will fail.

Explain the difference between disk mirroring and disk duplexing.

Mirroring uses one HDD controller to write duplicate data to two drives simultaneously; duplexing uses two HDD controllers to do so.

How do I set up my laptop so it supports multiple displays?

Most have a port for connecting external monitor. To configure this feature: Display applet --> Change display settings --> Multiple displays. Note: You'll often cycle through screens with the Function key.

What's a super I/O chip?

Motherboard chip that handles old technology (floppy drives, parallel ports, modems). It is not considered part of the actual chipset.

Proprietary form-factor motherboards: what are they, and what is their main disadvantage?

Motherboards made by PC manufacturers that only work with their cases. Downside: replacement parts are more expensive and not readily available.

In SSDs, ____ technology is cheaper than ____ technology, but it is less efficient/reliable.

Multi-level cell (MLC) technology is cheaper, but less reliable. Single level cell (SLC) is more efficient and reliable, though.

MPEG-7 serves as a ____.

Multimedia content searching tool.

What's the difference between multimode and single-mode fiber optic cables?

Multimode cables use LEDs to transmit multiple signals at once. Laser cables use laser lights to transmit a single signal over very long distances.

How do I access the System Restore utility in Vista/Win7? How can I turn it on or off?

My Computer --> Properties --> System Protection --> Create or Configure.

What is the current version of NTFS?

NTFS 3.1 (may be called 5.0/5.1).

What is NAT?

Network Address Translation presents an entire LAN of computers as a single machine. The process hides computers and makes them invisible to other computers on the Internet. Other computers can see your public IP address, but they cannot see the private IP address.

What is the difference between a hypervisor and a virtual machine manager (VMM)?

Nothing, though some writers distinguish between the two. In this case, the term "VMM" refers to software that runs on top of a host OS, and "hypervisor" describes software that does not need a host OS.

What is data classification? What is the chain of custody?

Organizing data according to its sensitivity. Documented history of who has been in possession of the system.

What is OEM?

Original equipment manufacturer. An OEM resells another company's product under their own name and branding.

Discuss the current PCIe standard and data rates.

PCIe goes from 1x to 32x speed, but is so quick that most use PCIe 1x slots for general purpose expansion slots. The current standard is PCIe 2.0, which has wire pairs that run at 5.0Gbps. PCIe 3.0 has been released, and 4.0 is planned.

Describe the Hewlett-Packard Printer Control Language (PCL).

PCL greatly expands on printer commands in ASCII, though it does not support advanced graphical functions (only text-based output). PCL uses a series of commands to define the characters on the page, and these commands must be supported by the printer (less portable than PostScript). PCL6 features scalable fonts and additional line drawing commands.

What is a page fault, and how can you tell if a page fault or system lockup is caused by bad RAM?

Page fault is a milder form of a system lockup. To determine whether a lockup/fault is caused by RAM, always write down the hexadecimal address that appears. If it remains the same, it's likely the RAM at fault.

What is parallel execution? What is pipelining?

Parallel execution allows the CPU can process multiple commands simultaneously. Pipelining is like an assembly line for commands, allowing commands to be partially finished and move to the next stage of execution.

Explain parity RAM and ECC.

Parity RAM was older technology that stored extra RAM (the parity bit) to verify the data retrieved was accurate. Error-correction code RAM is the modern version; it detects whether a single bit is incorrect and fixes it on the fly. It is slower than regular RAM, and only high-end motherboards can use it.

Describe the pagefile, gives its recommended size, and explain how to give an easy performance boost.

Part of the HDD set aside that acts as a temporary storage box for running programs. Used when PC is running low on available RAM. PAGEFILE.SYS, usually in C:\ drive. Recommended size is 1.5 x the RAM installed. Can move to a secondary HDD for performance boost.

What are patch panels?

Patch panels are boxes with rows of female ports in the front and permanent connections in the back. Technicians connect solid core cables to the rear and patch cables (stranded core) cables to the front.

Explain PCI slots and the primary form factors.

Peripheral component interconnects are self-configuring slots that with efficient data transfers. PCI-X is 64-bit wide PCI slot, used in businesses/workstations with servers. Mini-PCI is used in laptops. PCIe uses serial connection for data.

What is the photosensitive drum? How does it work?

Photosensitive drum (imaging drum) is an aluminum cylinder coated with photosensitive compounds. Light hits the particles and electrical charge transfers to cylinder, which is grounded to the power supply. Surface of drum has -600 to -1000 volt charge.

Explain physical geometry, logical geometry, and sector translation.

Physical geometry is a drive's actual layout, including heads, cylinders, sectors/track, and bytes/sector. Logical geometry is the fake drive layout the drive communicates to the CMOS (as part of LBA to bypass hardware limitations). The process of sector translation converts physical geometry to logical geometry.

Describe PGA. What company uses it most often?

Pin grid array is a type of CPU preferred by AMD. The chip "pins" to the holes in the socket.

Explain cylinders and sectors.

Platters are divided into circular tracks, like a record. Each track of the same diameter is a cylinder, and tracks are further subdivided into sectors.

Describe the PostScript printer language.

PostScript is capable of high-resolution graphics and scalable fonts. It defines image as a single raster image, making the files portable (can be created on one machine/platform and reliably printed on another). The majority of image processing is done by printer and not the PC's CPU, so PostScript images print faster.

Describe the boot sequence.

Power supply sends signal to the power good wire --> CPU runs POST sequence --> boostrap loader locates the OS.

What's most important when designing a graphics workstation? Bonus: What do you need when working with CAD/CAM software?

Primary need is a large, high-quality monitor, a fast multicore 64-bit CPU, and lots of RAM. A large hard drive is a plus, and a second HDD to back up work. Bonus: If working with CAD/CAM software, will need a professional graphics card like NVIDIA Quadro.

How do I print a diagnostic print page?

Print a diagnostic print page (engine test page) by holding down the On Line button as printer starts, or use the printer's maintenance software.

What is printer emulation?

Printer emulation allows you to use a substitute printer driver for a printer. Some new printers do not come with their own drivers, instead emulating a well-known printer. Sometimes you may not have the right printer driver, so you can emulate a printer to compensate.

Windows XP uses the ____ applet, Vista uses the ____ applet, and Win7 uses the ____ applet.

Printers and Faxes; Printers; Devices and Printers

Describe the structure of inkjet printers.

Printhead connects to carriage, which holds ink, and is moved by belt and motor.

Explain the two data transfer methods of ATA-1.

Programmed I/O (PIO) — standard method of data transfer, CPU uses BIOS to address HDD. Direct memory access (single-word DMA) — allowed CPU to talk to RAM directly, was slow.

What is firmware?

Programs that are stored on ROM.

What is grayware?

Programs that intrude but don't harm systems/data.

What are protocols? What are network clients?

Protocols are languages the computer systems use to communicate. Network clients are the interface that allows the computer system to speak to the protocol.

When is RG-6 cable used? When is RG-59 cable used?

RG-6 cables are commonly used for cable television/Internet. RG-59 is a smaller, cheaper type of coaxial cable used for short distance communications.

List features of RDAM.

Rambus DRAM. Faster than SDRAM, but expensive. Dual-channel architecture. Sends more data per clock cycle, not by improving speed. Incompatible with DIMM slots. All RIMM slots must be filled, either with RDRAM or CRIMM (continuity RIMM), otherwise system won't work.

Briefly explain a remote network installation, an unattended installation, and an image deployment.

Remote network: install via shared files over a network. Unattended: automated remote network installation. Image deployment: copy of a hard disk volume on which OS and all required applications are pre-installed.

My pages are printing blank, but I have a full toner cartridge. What's happening?

Remove cartridge and look at imaging drum. If drum retains an image, the transfer corona or power supply has failed.

If the fuse pops, the PSU smokes, or the PSU smells like burning, you should ____.

Replace the PSU.

What is the RTC/CTS protocol?

Request to Send/Clear to Send (RTC/CTS) protocol. Wireless networks have a harder time detecting collisions, so the NIC sends RTS frame to node, then the node responds with a CTS frame, then the transmitting node waits for an acknowledgement (ACK) before sending next data packet.

You've just installed a new motherboard. The fans are starting up, but nothing appears on screen. What should you do?

Reseat the RAM, videocard, and CPU.

What is RET?

Resolution enhancement technology enables printer to insert smaller dots to smooth out jagged curves.

How do you format a partition?

Right-click partition from Disk Management or My Computer --> Format.

How do I set a default printer?

Right-click the printer's icon and select "make default printer."

How do you mount a partition as folder? Bonus: What does the CompTIA A+ exam call this?

Right-click unallocated disk --> New Partition/Simple Volume --> select mount point rather than assigning a drive letter. Bonus: Exams refer to this as "splitting" a partition.

How do you mirror a dynamic disk volume?

Right-click unallocated space --> New Mirrored Volume.

How do you stripe a dynamic disk volume?

Right-click unallocated space --> choose two spaces of equal size.

How do you enlarge or shrink a dynamic disk volume?

Right-click volume --> extend volume/shrink volume.

Explain the tasklist and taskkill commands.

Run from the command prompt, tasklist lists all running processes, and taskkill terminates a process using the name or PID.

Sometimes, Windows has difficulty running applications due to graphical settings. How can you circumvent this?

Run the program in 256 colors and 640x480 resolution, and then disable visual themes.

Define SPD. Bonus: What happens if the SPD fails, and how can you fix it?

Serial presence detect. Chip on RAM sticks that stores info about the RAM so computer automatically detects/uses it. Bonus: POST error message and system won't boot. Can't be fixed, have to buy new RAM stick.

Explain how to move or copy files within the same drive and between different drives.

SAME DRIVE: Drag to move; CTRL + drag to copy. DIFFERENT DRIVE: SHIFT + drag to move; drag to copy.

List the three SATA standards and their speeds.

SATA 1.0: 1.5Gbps (150MBps throughput). SATA 2.0: 3.0Gbps (300MBps throughput). SATA 3.0: 6.0Gbps (600MBps throughput).

Ntbootdd.sys is a system file for systems that use ____.

SCSI configurations.

The CompTIA exmans mention RJ-45 as video connector type and Ethernet as video cable type. When is this true?

SP Controls' CatLinc system uses adapters to connect VGA, DVI, HDMI, and component devices to CAT5 cable, allowing video signal to be transmitted across greater distances.

What SSDs are volatile? What SSDs are non-volatile?

SSDs that use SDRAM are volatile, whereas SSDs that use flash memory (such as NAND) are non-volatile.

What is sampling? List the low and high end.

Sampling is capturing the state or quality of a sound wave a set number of times each second (measured in KHz). 11 KHz is low-quality; 192 KHz is better than the human ear.

What is satellite latency?

Satellite latency is the delay caused by distance from satellite to dish.

How do I schedule a backup in Windows XP?

Scheduled Tasks is listed under System Tools. Run Backup and Restore Wizard, then open the Advanced options and Set Schedule.

What is SSH? What is Secure FTP?

Secure Shell is a remote terminal that works securely across the Internet. The connection is encrypted. Secure FTP is just FTP running through an SSH tunnel. This can be implemented by starting an FTP server on one client, starting an FTP client on another, and redirecting the I/O of the FTP data through the tunnel.

Explain the ipconfig command.

Shows all TCP/IP settings, does little unless you're using DHCP. ipconfig /release gives up your IP address while ipconfig /renew gives you a new one.

How do you convert a partition a dynamic disk? How do you convert it back?

Simply right-click the partition --> convert to dynamic disk. Converting it back will require formatting.

Describe the three kinds of Blu-ray disc and their storage capacity.

Single layer holds 25GB, dual-layer holds 50GB, and mini disc holds about 7.8GB.

What's the difference between single-link and dual-link DVI?

Single-link DVI limits resolution to 1920 x 1080 (60Hz) or 1280 x 1024 (85Hz). Dual-link DVI can display up to 2048 x 1536 (60Hz).

CD-R discs allow users to burn their own CDs. Describe the two methods.

Single-session drives: good for one use. Multisession drives: can write data multiple times, can "close" a disc so no more data can be written. No matter what, the data cannot be overwritten.

Describe SATA's two smaller power connectors.

Slimline connector is a 6-pin power segment; micro connctor has a 9-pin power segment.

Molex connectors

Smaller connectors that usually connect to devices that need 5v (red sockets) or 12v (yellow sockets). Notches are called chamfers.

Describe the difference between solid core and stranded core cabling, and explain when they are used.

Solid core cabling is stiff and will break if handled often, but it is a better conductor. Stranded core cabling is much more flexible but a poorer conductor. Horizontal cabling should always be solid core. Stranded core should connect to the individual systems.

How do solid ink printers work?

Solid ink printers have solid sticks of "ink" that are melted and absorbed into paper fibers, producing a continuous tone output. They are very expensive but fast.

What is active PFC?

Some kind of PSU technology that eliminates destructive harmonics.

Describe the ATA-2 standard.

Sometimes referred to as enhanced IDE. Supports up to four hard drives, introduced LBA and ATAPI.

To configure and install audio, Windows XP uses the ____ applet, and Vista/Win7 use the ____ applet.

Sounds and Audio Devices; Sounds

What is plenum space, and what kind of cabling does it require?

Space through which cable runs in ceilings, under floor, etc. Need fire-retardant plenum-grade cabling because regular cabling's PVC covering releases noxious fumes when burned.

When installing a motherboard, what do you need to install to verify the system will boot?

Speakers, video card, monitor, and keyboard.

My laser printer has speckled and smudged printouts. Why?

Speckles indicate that the fusing mechanism is dirty. Smudged printouts mean the system isn't hot enough to fuse properly—may need light-weight paper or a new fuser.

What is crossover cable?

Standard UTP cable with one RJ-45 connector using the 586A standard and the other using the 586B standard. It is used to connect two network cards together, taking the place of a switch or hub.

The "all-in-one" quickfix in WindowsRE is known as ____.

Startup Repair

What is SPI?

Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) inspects incoming packets and blocks incoming traffic that isn't in response to outgoing traffic.

What are two steps necessary for storing batteries?

Store them in a cool place, and keep the battery charged to 70-80% minimum.

What is disk striping, with or without parity?

Striping uses one HDD controller to split data between multiple drives. Parity data stores additional data as backup in case a drive fails, so you're not starting from scratch.

What is SDRAM?

Syncrhonous DRAM. Tied to the system clock, so MCC knows when data ready to be pulled from SDRAM (less wasted time).

What is System Info and how do I access it?

SysInfo collects wide range of system information and compiles into a report. ACCESS: 1. msinfo32 2. System Information under System Tools. 3. View --> Remote Computer --> enter network machine name (gets info on remote computers).

Explain the sfc (sfc.exe) command.

System File Check scans, detects, and restores important Windows files. To use it: 1. sfc /scannow

Critical Windows files are kept as DLLs. You may need to fix errors using ____, or you may need to register DLLs using ____.

System File Check; regsvr32.

What is SMM?

System Management Mode allows the CPU to slow/stop its clock without erasing register information. It also allows for power saving on peripherals.

What is Sysprep and how do you use it?

System Preparation Tool for Microsoft systems that assists in automated installations. Uses the clone process but runs Mini-Setup so the installer accepts the EULA, creates his own accounts, and so on. To use it, get PC fully ready, run Sysrep, then create disk image.

How do I access the System Restore utility in Windows XP? How can I turn it on or off?

System Restore is located in System Tools. To turn it on or off, use the System Properties applet.

What is disk cloning?

Takes existing PC and makes a fully copy of the system, including software and configuration files. You'll need a program like Norton Ghost to do so.

What are TWAIN drivers?

Technology Without An Interesting Name. Usually found on scanners.

What is termination with regard to SCSI devices?

Termination prevents signal echoes down a wire. Set during installation, you should only terminate the ends of a SCSI chain. Most devices use a jumper or switch to set the terminator.

Descibe the process to replace bad RAM sticks.

Test the sticks using a hardware or software RAM tester (such as Memtest86). Can replace the old RAM sticks with known good RAM sticks to see what works.

What IP range is reserved for network testing, and what hardware do you need to perform this?

The 127 range is reserved for loopback operations. You'll need a loopback plug to perform a loopback test.

What is ASR?

The Automated System Recovery is a tool in Windows XP that creates a recovery CD with backed up boot volumes, system volumes (C: drive), and system state information. To use it, you'll have to boot into the Windows CD.

What role does the MBR play in the boot process for Vista/Win7 systems?

The BIOS scans for the MBR, and the MBR scans for system partition then loads its boot sector. Boot sector points to bootmgr.

What is the BCD and how can it be edited?

The Boot Configuration Data file replaces boot.ini file in XP, can be altered with bcdedit.exe.

What is EFS?

The Encrypting File System (EFS) is available on Windows Professional editions. It allows you to encrypt the contents of a file or folder under its Properties.

My computer gave me a "Missing Graphical Interface" error. What do I do?

The GUI files have been corrupted. You'll have to rebuild Windows from a backup.

What is Windows GDI?

The Graphical Device Interface (GDI) handles print functions by using the CPU rather than printer to process printing. GDI processes the print job and sends bitmapped images of each page to printer, so printer sees page as an image, not text.

After boot.ini points the NT loader to the boot partition, what does ntldr load?

The NT loader then loads ntoskrnl.exe, hal.dll, some of the Registry, then basic device drivers.

How does a system using UEFI boot differently from one using standard BIOS? Bonus: Where is bootmgr file stored?

The UEFI loads bootmgr directly, circumventing the MBR and boot sector. Bonus: The EFI system partition stores bootmgr.efi.

What is UNC?

The Universal Naming Convention use \\ in front of the sharing system's name and a \ in front of the resource's name.

Explain the address bus and MMC.

The address bus feeds instructions from the CPU to the memory controller chip so the MMC knows what byte of RAM to send to the CPU.

What are volt-amps?

The approximate power supplied by a UPS due to inefficiencies.

What will happen if you reverse the polarity on an AC adapter?

The device won't start.

I've run error-checking, but I keep getting data corruption errors. What should I do?

The drive has bad sectors. If error-checking doesn't work, try a third-party program like Spinrite to recover the data.

As I was formatting my drive, several "last allocation unit" messages popped up. What should I do?

The drive is probably dying. Confirm with S.M.A.R.T.

What is %SystemRoot%? Bonus: What command will take you there directly?

The drive letter and path to the Windows installation. Bonus: cd %systemroot%

When I start my system, I get an error that there is "No Boot Device Present." What should I do?

The drive may be totally dead and in need of replacement. To check, remove the data cable from the drive and power the system on. If the drive spins, it's likely good. If not, it's possibly dead.

I'm trying to access my drive but the system tells me the drive "is not accessible". When I try to access the drive from C:, it says it is "invalid media."

The drive must be formatted.

I installed a drive, but it's not showing up anywhere but Disk Management. What's going on?

The drive needs to be partitioned.

What is an erase lamp?

The erase lamp exposes surface of imaging drum to light so that the charge from the particles bleeds off, leaving the particles electrically neutral.

What is the Power over Ethernet feature?

The ethernet cable provides power and network connectivity.

Explain how an EDB and ALU interact.

The external data bus transmits commands to the arithmetic logic unit, which then processes those commands and sends them back to the EDB.

Describe the 802.11b standard.

The first popular standard, its top speed was 11 Mbps (average 4-6 Mbps). It had a 300 foot range, but suffered from interence due to 2.4GHz channel's wide use.

Describe the fuser assembly.

The fuser assembly uses two rollers (heat and pressure) fuse toner to paper. The pressure roller pushes against bottom of page, and the heater roller presses down on top, melting the toner.

What is the USB host controller? What is a USB root hub?

The host controller is an integrated circuit that controls every USB device. The USB root hub is part of host controller that makes physical connection to ports.

My LCD monitor is making a weird hissing noise. Why?

The inverter is dying. You'll need to replace it.

What is the purpose of the laser printer's laser?

The laser acts as writing mechanic of the printer. Any particle on the drum struck by the laser has its charge drained and left with -100 volt charge. This "writes" a positive image onto the drum.

What is the MFT and what makes it more secure than MBR?

The master file table is an enhanced file allocation table. A partition keeps a backup copy of critical MFT parts in the middle of the disk to reduce chances of it being corrupted by drive errors.

What are nits?

The measure of an LCD's brightness. The average is 300 nights.

How and why do you determine appropriate RAM latency for your computer?

The motherboard manual should list the fastest RAM speed the motherboard can handle. Putting high-latency RAM into a motherboard designed for low-latency RAM can result in an unstable or dead computer.

What is an LCD monitor's native resolution?

The native resolution is the resolution at which the LCD displays the sharpest image. Screen resolution can be sized down, but it can never be sized up beyond the native resolution.

How does an ISDN network transmit data? What is the typical throughput?

The network uses Bearer (B) channels and Delta (D) channels. B channels carry data at 64 Kbps. D channels carry setup/configuration information at 16 Kbps. Most common setup is two B/one D, called a basic rate interface setup (one physical line that has 128 Kbps throughput).

My inkjet printer is printing sheets that only have blue and red on them. What's going on?

The nozzles may be clogged. To clean, run a maintenance program, though this uses a lot of ink.

What is bit depth?

The number of characteristics of a particular sound captured during sampling.

My daisy-wheel printer's page is covered with dots and smudges. Fix it, now!

The platen is dirty. Clean it with denatured alcohol.

Hey, my impact printer is printing faded on one side of the paper. What gives?

The platen needs adjustment. You'll probably want to take this into a repair shop.

POST

The power-on self test is a program that runs during boot to confirm devices are working properly.

What is the purpose of the primary corona wire?

The primary corona wire (primary charge roller) is creates an electrical field that charges the photosensitive surface particles.

All laser printers have two power supplies. Describe them.

The primary power supply powers motors that move the paper, the system electronics, the laser, and transfer corona/roller. The high-voltage power supply usually only provides power to primary corona/charge roller.

My impact printer has characters are chopped-off at top or bottom. What's going on?

The print-head likely needs adjustment.

What is the RIP?

The raster image processor (RIP) translates raster image into commands for the printer. Laser printers have a hardware RIP, and inkjet printers have software RIP.

What is gain?

The ratio of increase in RF output. It's measured in decibels.

When installing Win7, the system will automatically create two partitions. What are they?

The regular C: and 100MB System Reserved partition.

What do you need for a digital audio workstation?

The requirements are similar to a graphics workstation with CPU and RAM, and a good sound card will help.

What does "Input Signal Out of Range" mean?

The resolution is too high. Windows should automatically reset it.

What is an SSID?

The service set identifier is the name of a wireless network.

My CRT monitor is blotchy and discolored. What's going on and what should I do?

The shadow mask has picked up a magnetic charge. You'll need to hit the degauss button or use a degaussing coil.

My video capture program keeps dropping frames. Help.

Turn off background programs and disable the playback/preview feature.

Every laser printer has at least one system board, and some have several distributed throughout the printer. What is the purpose of the system board?

The system board contains the main processer, ROM, and RAM. The RAM on the board stores the image before it is printed.

Why is SATA drive/SSD installation easier than PATA?

The thinner and longer cables aside, SATA drives should be auto-detected by the OS. If not, the drive probably needs to be replaced.

What is an LCD monitor's response rate? What is the average?

The time taken for all sub-pixels to go from black to white to black again. The average is 2-4ms; lower is better.

My Internet is out, and I can't ping any websites. What's going on?

There may be a DNS failure. Try using the ipconfig /flushdns command. You may also attempt XP: Network Connections applet --> right-click connection  Repair. Vista/Win7: Network and Sharing Center --> Change adapter settings --> right-click connection --> Diagnose.

My laser prints have this weird embossed effect on them. What?

There's almost certainly a foreign object on roller. Use 90%+ denatured alcohol with soft cloth to dislodge it. If there's not, the contrast may be set too high, so adjust it.

My laser printer is creasing pages. How do I fix it?

There's not a whole lot you can do. You can try a different paper type (cotton bond paper is susceptible to creasing), or you can send output to face-up tray to avoid one roller.

My laser printer is printing paper with vertical white lines, what should I do?

These are usually caused by toner clogged, try shaking the cartridge to dislodge the clog. If necessary, replace the toner.

My laser printer is giving me blotchy prints. Why? How should I fix it?

These usually indicate uneven dispersion of toner; shake toner from side to side. Ensure that printer is sitting level, and confirm paper is dry. If the blotches are in regular order, check fusing rollers and photosensitive drum for foreign objects.

What are TV tuners? What do you need for them to work?

They allow you to watch television on computer. They require requires a tuner device, an antenna or cable connection, a tuning application, and a program guide. Note that you will need a source for the signal, such as cable television or antenna

Describe the northbridge and southbridge.

They are "bridges" between the CPU and the rest of the computer, allowing the CPU to communicate with hardware. The northbridge is often located on the CPU itself, and its primary purpose is high-speed communication, often to videocard and RAM. The southbridge is slower than the northbridge.

What is the function of serial ports? What is the UART? Bonus: Windows refers to them as ____ ports.

They convert data moving between parallel and serial devices. Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter translates between serial to parallel. Bonus: Windows refers to serial ports as COM ports.

How do Vista/Win7 handle log files?

They create about 20 log files each, stored in Windows directory. Each phase of setup creates setuperr.log file to track errors during installation.

How do hypervisors/VMMs work?

They pass code from virtual machine to actual CPU. Note that you cannot create a virtual machine that acts like a different kind of computer (cannot make Intel act like a Playstation).

What are Telnet's and FTP's big security weakness?

They send usernames and passwords as plain text.

When enabling RAID, how should drives be designated?

They should be given the same letter.

What are daisy-wheel printers?

They're an electric typewriter attached to PC instead of directly to a keyboard.

My printouts are garbled or distorted.

This is a driver issue. Confirm you have the right drivers and uninstall/reinstall.

How do I schedule a disk defragmentation or error-checking in Vista/Win7?

This is handled by the system utility--which is listed under System Tools.

After installing an optical drive, how can you change the drive letter?

Through disk management.

How do I access Windows Firewall in XP, Vista, and Win7? What are the differences between the three?

Through the Windows Firewall applet. XP does not provide options to create different firewall settings for different networks, while Vista/Win7 include three network types (Domain, Private, Public). Vista keeps the network type and firewall configuration the same for every connection, but Win7 shows the Set Network Location box every time you connect to a new network.

System Configuration has the following tabs: 1. General. 2. Boot. 3. Services. 4. Startup. 5. Tools. Describe them, and tell me how to access System Configuration.

To access System Configuration, use msconfig. 1. General—lets you select type of startup on next boot. 2. Boot—see copies of Windows installed, set default OS, or delete OS from boot menu. Provides access to advanced options. 3. Services—works like Services in Task Manager. 4. Startup—change programs that launch when Windows starts. 5. Tools—list of tools and utilities available in Windows.

What is laser printer toner composed of? What is the purpose of the toner cylinder?

Toner is a fine powder made of plastic particles bonded to iron particles, usually carbon mixed with polyester resin. The toner cylinder charges toner with -200 to -500 volts so particles of toner are attracted to area of drum struck by laser (which are at -100v).

What happens if the VRR is set too low or too high?

Too low causes flickering/headaches. Too high distorts the image and damages monitor circuitry.

Explain TPM.

Trusted platform module is an an international standard for a secure cryptoprocessor. It accelerates cryptographic functions and the secure storage of associated information. Speeds up BitLocker Drive Encryption. Used in network access control, application execution control, and password protection.

What is a transfer corona? What is a transfer roller?

Transfer corona is a part in older laser printers. It is a thin wire that applies a positive charge to paper, drawing toner particles to paper. The transfer roller is found in newer models, and it draws toner onto positively-charged paper. (Static charge eliminator removes charge from paper.)

My computer locked up after overclocking the CPU! What do?

Turn off the PC and locate the plastic shunt that came with the motherboard. Place it on the CMOS jumpers, wait a few seconds, then restart the computer.

Each platter of a HDD requires ____ heads.

Two.

Define a UPS and list the three types.

Uninterruptible power supply. Large battery that protects against power failure. Online UPS — devices constantly powered through UPS battery. Standby UPS — power switches on when AC sags below 80-90v. Line-interactive UPS — standby UPS that handles moderate sags and surges without need for battery power.

My PC won't boot, and I think the PSU isn't supplying enough power. How should I check?

Unplug the HDD. If the PC boots fine, you have a power supply issue.

My computer locked up during OS installation. What should I do?

Unplug the system (don't reset it), then restart. If that fails, you may have a problem with the disc, HDD, or optical drive. Clean and replace as necessary.

What is UTP cable? Bonus: When should you not use it?

Unshielded twisted pair. Should use shielded cabling in areas of high EFI.

How should I clean the fuser assembly in a laser printer?

Use 90%+ denatured alcohol with a cotton swab (transfer corona) or fibrous towel (paper guides).

What should I do if the GUI fails to load?

Use Advanced Startup Options to bypass the hang spot and load Windows.

How would I delete a file from the command prompt?

Use the "del" or "erase" command. To use it, type del [filename]. This will only remove files, not folders.

How would I rename a file from the command prompt?

Use the "ren" or "rename" command. To use it, type ren [filename] [new filename]. Place quotation marks around complex filenames.

My NIC isn't showing up after installation. What should I do?

Use the Add Hardware applet.

How do I configured my video card in XP, Vista, and Win7?

Use the Display applet (XP/Win7) or Personalization applet (Vista).

How should I turn off my mobile device's WiFi or set it into Airplane mode?

Use the Settings app.

How do I schedule a backup in Vista/Win7?

Use the Task Scheduler, which is found under System Tools. The Set Up Backup Wizard allows you to do so.

Explain the diskpart command.

Used from the command prompt inside the WindowsRE environment. It is a disk partitioning tool without safety features. 1. diskpart clean wipes disk entirely.

Explain the bootrec command.

Used from the command prompt inside the WindowsRE environment. It is used to fix a number of boot errors. 1. /fixboot — rebuilds boot sector for active partiion. 2. /fixmbr — rebuilds mbr for active partition. 3. /scanos — looks for Windows installations not currently in BCD store. 4. /rebuildmbr - looks for Windows installations not in BCD store and lets you add them to it.

Explain the fsinfo command.

Used from the command prompt inside the WindowsRE environment. It provides detailed info on drives/options. 1. fsutil dirty [drivename] — tells if Windows finds errors on a drive. 2. fsutil repair initiate [drive letter] — runs basic version of chkdsk.

Explain the bcdedit command.

Used from the command prompt inside the WindowsRE environment. It shows how Windows boots. (Vista/Win7 do not have boot.ini, just the BCD store.) 1. /export [filename] — exports copy of BCD store to a file. 2. /import [filename] — imports copy of BCD store to the BCD store.

What is UAC? How can I enable or disable it?

User Account Control requires administrator privileges or a password to make changes to the system. It can be adjusted in the User Accounts applet or through msconfig.

What is USMT?

User State Migration Tool. It works like Files & Transfer Settings Wizard but is run on Windows Server.

Describe SATA.

Uses thinner, longer cables than PATA, and does away with master/slave drives. Each drive connects to one port. Extremely fast compared to PATA, and is backwards compatible if you use a SATA bridge.

What is data destruction?

Using data beyond what is intended, including deleting and modifying files.

Describe VoIP.

Voice over IP is a collection of protocols that allows phone calls over data network. The most common VoIP application protocol is Session Initiation Protocl (SIP). Low network latency is more important than high network speed.

What is viewable image size?

VIS is the screen measurement from one edge to the opposite diagonal.

What is ESX?

VMware ESX replaces the base OS, allowing you to run a machine that only runs virtual machines.

What are Volume Shadow Copy Service (Volume Snapshot Service) and System Protection?

VSS allows OS to back up any file, even those in use, which allows you to access previous version of any data file or folder. (Right-click the data file --> restore previous version.) System Protection turns this on/off and is found under System Properties applet.

The computer won't boot and the fan won't turn on. What should I do?

Verify electricity is going to PSU, then verify the verify PSU's voltages. Test every connection on the power supply. If the PSU is bad, then you'll need to buy a new one.

____ are points that are connected by ____ to create ____, over which ____ are laid.

Vertices; edges; polygons; textures

What is sidebanding?

Video cards have a second data bus that receives commands while sending commands to the Northbridge.

What do you need for a video workstation?

Video workstations combine the requirements of digital and graphics workstations. You'll need a fast CPU, lots of RAM, and heavy-duty hard drives (big, fast, reliable). They often use 2+ monitors to view and edit video, and they will benefit from a professional-level GPU.

Describe VPNs. How can I access them from XP, Vista, and Win7?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide an encrypted tunnel between computers using the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). The system looks like it's on the local network but performs more slowly. At each end of the tunnel, data is encrypted and decrypted. VPNs work as a virtual NIC; the system acquires IP address from DHCP server at office. XP. Right-click My Network Places --> Create a New Connection. Vista/Win7: Search --> VPN.

____ can only replicate across drives, not networks. ____ replicate exclusively across networks.

Viruses; Worms

What is Windows XPS?

Vista/Win7 support GDI and include the XML Paper Specification (XPS) print path. XPS improves on GDI with enhanced color management (works with Windows Color System) and better print layout fidelity.

What is WPS?

Wi-Fi Protected Setup is a simple security standard that provides limited access. Some systems have a push-button configuration, while others use an 8-digit code. To protect a network, turn the code off.

Explain WiMax wireless networking.

WiMAX is 4G technology, but slower than 4G LTE. It runs at up to 10 Mbps and the maximum range is 30 miles. Line of sight WiMAX uses fixed antennas that point directly at a WiMAX transceiver, while non-LoS WiMAX uses base stations that are not visible to WiMAX tower.

What are symptoms of parity errors, what causes them, and how should you fix them? Bonus: Explain phantom parity errors and their causes.

Will show "parity error at (hexadecimal value)," and the hexadecimal value will NOT change. (A changing hexadecimal value indicates a phantom parity error.) Parity errors indicate bad RAM, so you'll need to replace the stick. Phantom parity errors can be caused by numerous factors, such as heat and dust.

What versions of Windows enable software RAID?

Windows 2008 Server (or Windows Server 2008 RT) support RAID 0, 1, and 5. XP/Vista support RAID 0. Win7 supports RAID 0 and 1.

What versions of Windows can upgrade to Windows XP Professional?

Windows 98/Me/2000/XP Home Edition, Windows NT 4.0 (SP 5+).

How can you change the folders and files you view in Vista/Win7?

Windows Explorer --> Organize --> Folder and search options --> View (a) Hide extensions for known file types. (b) Show hidden files, folders and drives --> hide protected operating system files.

How can you change the folders and files you view in Windows XP?

Windows Explorer --> Tools --> Folder Options --> View tab --> (a) Hide extensions for known file types. (b) Show hidden files and folders --> hide protected operating system files.

Which Windows applications can be used to burn what kind of data?

Windows Media Player burns music. Windows Explorer burns data. Windows DVD Maker or third party software burns DVDs. XP/Vista need third party to burn ISOs.

When doing a multiboot installation, you install multiple OSes on one computer. What are the special steps needed for this?

Windows XP can be installed in a separate folder, but Vista/Win7 must be installed on a different partition. You must install OSes oldest to newest.

If I want to run Windows 7 in XP mode, what additional system requirements do I need?

Windows XP mode requires +1GB RAM and +15GB HDD space.

What is ntoskrnl.exe?

Windows kernel is a boot file that loads Registry and remaining drivers, and it starts winlogon.exe (logon screen).

My laser prints are spotty. What should I do?

Wipe off the fuse rollers—toner may be stuck to them. The drum may be damaged; if so, replace toner cartridge.

What is WEP?

Wired Equivalent Privacy uses 40-bit encryption to scramble data, though some vendors offer 104-bit encryption (sometimes masquerading as 128-bit). It's not very good, so don't use it.

If I'm having connectivity issues, I may need to use the wireless configuration utility provided by Windows. What is this in XP, Vista, and Win7?

Wireless Zero Configuration (XP) or WLAN AutoConfig (Vista/Win7).

When designing a home server, why do you want to use a wired NIC?

Wireless is less reliable than wired Ethernet, so you want to limit the wireless connections to the WAP and the cliens.

Describe infrastructure wireless network. Bonus: What is a BSS and an EBSS?

Wireless networks use WAPs to connect wireless network nodes to a wired segment. Bonus: One WAP is called a Basic Service Set (BSS), and multiple WAPs are called an Extended Basic Service Set (EBSS).

Vista Home Basic functions like ____. ____ acts like Vista Home Basic, but it has Windows Media Center.

XP Home; Vista Home Premium

Windows isn't recognizing my new hardware installation. What should I do? Bonus: How do I access these resources from the command prompt?

XP/Vista have Add Hardware applet. Win7 has Devices and Printers. Bonus: wdwiz.exe

How do I share a printer in XP, Vista, and Win7?

XP/Vista: Printers applet --> right-click printer --> Sharing --> Share this printer. Win7: Start --> Devices and Printers --> right-click printer  Printer properties --> Sharing --> Share this printer. Note: File and Printer Sharing is automatically installed, but you must activate it in the Local Area Connection Properties box.

Defragment a disk in XP, Vista, and Win7.

XP/Vista: (a) Disk Defragmenter applet (b) Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter. Win7: (a) Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter. (b) Drive Properties --> Tools --> Defragment.

Where is the Desktop folder located in Windows XP, Vista, and Win7?

XP: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Desktop (XP). Vista/Win7: C:\Users\Username\Desktop (V/7).

How do I configure my IP settings in XP, Vista, and Win7?

XP: Network Connections applet --> Local Area Connection  Properties --> highlight TCP/IP and click Properties --> Properties dialog box --> Use the following IP address. Vista/Win7: Network and Sharing Center applet --> Manage network connections (Vista) or Change adapter settings (Win7) --> Local Area Network --> Properties --> highlight IPv4 --> Properties --> Use the following IP address.

If your computer is infected with a virus, you should turn off System Restore. How?

XP: Right-click My Computer --> Properties --> System Restore Tab --> Turn off System Restore. Vista/Win7: Right-click Computer --> Properties --> System protection --> Protection Settings --> select drive and click Configure --> Turn off System Restore.

How can I update device drivers in XP, Vista, and Win7?

XP: Windows Update --> Custom --> Hardware, Optional. Vista/Win7: Windows Update --> View available updates.

How can I configure my dial-up connection?

XP: Network and Internet Connections applet --> Set up or change your Internet connection --> run New Connection Wizard. Vista/Win7: Network and Sharing Center --> Set up a new connection or network --> Set up a dial-up connection.

How can I access and change settings to improve my system's performance?

XP: Right-click My Computer --> Properties --> Advanced tab --> Performance --> Settings. Vista/Win7: Right-click My Computer --> Properties --> Advanced system settings --> Advanced tab --> Performance  Settings.

Where is Device Manager located in XP and Vista/Win7?

XP: Located under System applet, accessed through Hardware tab. Vista/Win7: Device Manager has its own applet.

How do you access Windows Update in XP and Vista/Win7?

XP: Start --> All Programs --> Windows Update. Vista/Win7: Windows Update is an applet.

What are some ways to access the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool?

You can run it from WindowsRE or using the mdsched command. You may also run it from Administrative Tools, under the System Tools applet.

Most laser printers provide a special tool to clean the transfer roller. How can you clean the transfer roller without this tool?

You can use a cotton swab soaked in 90% denatured alcohol—NOT rubbing alcohol!

I installed a new graphics card and Windows defaulted to 640 x 480, 16-color VGA mode. What's going on?

You have incompatible drivers. Boot to safe mode, uinstall them, and reinstall working drivers.

Help, I'm getting a "memory overflow" error when trying to print this image. What's going on and how do I fix it?

You have insufficient RAM to print the image. Try reducing resolution, printing smaller graphics, turning off RET, or adding more RAM.

If your system ever loses components due to a power surge or electro-static discharge, what should you do to the motherboard?

You may consider replacing it because unseen damage can creep up over time.

When and how should you clean PCI connectors?

You should clean them ONLY if they are dull, and don't ever use a pencil eraser. Use special contact-cleaning solution.

You have two sticks of RAM with different speeds. How should you install them?

You shouldn't; mixing-and-matching can cause lockups. If you must, install them in different RAM banks to reduce potential issues.

What's most important when designing a virtualization workstation?

You want a lot of RAM and a powerful 64-bit CPU.

How do I add or remove Windows components in XP?

You'll need the CD. Go to Add/Remove Programs --> Add/Remove Windows Components.

I'm playing a video. There's audio but no video. What to do?

You're probably missing a codec. Check your installed codecs. XP: Sounds and Audio Devices applet --> Hardware tab --> Audio Codecs and Video Codecs tabs. Vista/Win7: Open Windows Media Player --> Help --> About Windows Media Player --> Technical Support Information. If you're missing a codec, you'll have to download and install it.

Explain the DNS cache.

Your DNS cache stores the locations (IP addresses) of webservers that contain pages which you have recently viewed. If the location of the web server changes before the entry in your DNS cache updates, you can no longer access the site.

An ____ switches the screen from portrait to landscape, and a ____ can detect the position of a mobile device in 3D space.

accelerometer; gyroscope

PATA drives have a ____ that corresponds to ____ on the connector. ____ on the controller corresponds to ____ on the HDD.

colored stripe; pin 1; pin 1; pin 1.

Clean a thermal printer's heating element using ___. Clean the ____ with cloth or compressed air.

denatured alcohol and lint-free cloth; rollers

ISDN is a system of ____ dial-up. It often connects to an ____.

digital; Ethernet NIC

In the USB 1.1 and 2.0 standards, USB connectors use ____ pins and support cable lengths up to ____ meters.

four (non-USB A/B use five); five

Network printers usually have an onboard ____ that connects to the network via ____. They act independently of ____.

network adapter; Ethernet cable and router; any single PC

In the USB 3.0 standards, USB A/B connectors use ____ pins and support cable lengths up to ____ meters.

nine; three

The ____ filters the ozone left by the ____.

ozone filter; coronas

A digitizer is also known as a ____.

pen tablet

What commands sends data packets to IP address and receives them, measuring latency and data loss?

ping [IP address or DNS name] 1. ping -t sends packets until you break connection with CTRL+C. 2. ping -l [size] specifies size of packets.

When using the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, ____ determines the thoroughness of the test, ____ should always be left at the default, and ____ determines how many times Windows tests the RAM.

test mix; cache option; pass count

What is the tracert command and what is its purpose?

tracert [IP address or URL] shows route a packet takes to its destination. Output describes devices the packet passes through and how long each hop between devices takes. It can be used to locate where bottlenecking or outages are taking place.