A+ Hardware Final Questions

Which of the following are the two types of nonvolatile memory found in a computer system? a. DRAM and ROM b. SRAM and unbuffered c. DDR-DRAM and CMOS d. SRAM and ROM

d. SRAM and ROM

Which port is known as IEEE 1394 ? a. USB b. Parallel port c. Firewire d. PS/2

c. Firewire

What is the other name for the southbridge? a. CNR b. Memory controller hub chip c. I/O controller hub chip d. FSB

c. I/O controller hub chip

Most power supplies are designed to handle which voltage ranges? a. 230 and 115 b. +10.0, -10.0, +5.0, -5.0 c. 220VDC and 110VDC d. 500 or larger

a. 230 and 115

Which of the following motherboards would you select if you need the largest number of expansion slots? a. ATX b. micro ATX c. mini ITX d. flex ATX

a. ATX

Which of the following is the preferred method for protection from ESD? a. Antistatic wrist strap b. Touching the chassis of the computer c. Antistatic mat d. placing the new piece of hardware on top of an Antistatic bag

a. Antistatic wrist strap

You examine a possibly failed motherboard to determine if the motherboard or a component connected to it has failed. Which of the following points of failure will you likely find on the motherboard? a. CMOS battery b. DVD drive c. Capacitors d. SATA cable e. Power supply

a. CMOS battery

Which of the following features may be visible from the front of a desktop computer? a. Card reader b. Serial port c. RJ45 d. RJ11

a. Card reader

A ________ determines what CPUs a system can use, what integrated ports the system can provide without use of third-party products, and the number and types of expansion slots a motherboard can feature. a. Chipset b. CPU c. Power supply d. GPU

a. Chipset

Which of these is the most common type of RAM found in video cards? a. DDR SDRAM b. SO DIMM c. RAMBUS d. SDRAM

a. DDR SDRAM

Which of the following is not a physical memory format? a. DRAM b. DIMM c. SIMM d. RIMM

a. DRAM

In determining whether Cache RAM could be the source of a memory problem, which of the following procedures is useful? a. Disable L2 cache or swap out the BIOS ROM chip b. Determine whether L2 cache is a removable chip and swap it out or enable ECC c. Swap out the CPU for a known good CPU d. Disable ram buffering

a. Disable L2 cache or swap out the BIOS ROM chip

Motherboards have several different interfaces available to enable communication with mass storage devices. Which of the following is not considered a mass storage interface? a. PATA b. SATA c. EATA d. SCSI

c. EATA

Each of the following tasks can be performed to determine which memory module is affected by memory size errors except ________? a. Disabling cache RAM in the BIOS setup when testing memory. b. Change one module at a time, starting with the one you think is defective, until the error goes away. c. Determine which module must be installed first by checking the motherboard documentation. d. Running CheckIt within the system BIOS setup

a. Disabling cache RAM in the BIOS setup when testing memory.

CompTIA has created a six-step process for troubleshooting. The first step in the process is to identify the problem. Which of the followings steps resembles the next step in the methodology? a. Establish a theory of probable cause. b. Document findings, actions, and outcomes. c. Test the theory to determine the cause. d. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.

a. Establish a theory of probable cause.

Which connector provides video and andio? a. HDMI b. S/PDIF c. S video d. VGA

a. HDMI

In the BIOS, the System Information page provides useful information, which can be helpful when determining whether a system needs an upgrade. Which of the following is not a piece of information provided on the menu? a. Key/mouse type b. Installed memory c. Processor type d. hard drive

a. Key/mouse type

What is the other name for the northbridge? a. Memory controller hub chip b. Surge suppressor c. I/O controller hub chip d. PCI card

a. Memory controller hub chip

All the following can generate a parity error except ________? a. Memory module/chip dedicated to support parity b. Mixing parity and nonparity RAM on parity-checked systems c. Mixing slow and fast RAM in the same bank or on the same motherboard d. Memory module/chip failure

a. Memory module/chip dedicated to support parity

Of the ATX motherboards, which one has a maximum number of four expansion slots and is used for a full tower? a. Mini-ATX b. Micro-ATX c. Flex-ATX d. None of the above

a. Mini-ATX

Which of the following is not a type of parallel cable? a. Monitor b. Printer c. Switchbox/device d. PC to PC Data transfer

a. Monitor

When a computer system starts, it performs a test that checks system configurations, finds irregularities or problems, and reports any errors. What is the name of this test? a. POST b. CMOS test c. CPU test d. System timer

a. POST

The BIOS and the setup program are stored on a ______ chip so that data cannot be modified or changed. a. ROM b. DRAM c. RAM d. SRAM

a. ROM

A _____ memory module contains a specialized chip to help the system remain stable when large amounts of memory are installed. This specialized chip acts as a buffer, which slightly slows down memory access. a. Registered b. ECC c. Nonparity d. EDAC

a. Registered

The BIOS contains an important piece of firmware that provides support for which of the following components? a. Storage devices connected to the motherboard b. printer settings c. system speakers d. Configuration of wireless access point

a. Storage devices connected to the motherboard

Here are three statements that relate to FireWire 1. IEEE1394a has a maximum speed of 400 mbps and use a 6 pin interface 2. IEEE1394b has a maximum speed of 800 mbps and use a 9 pin interface 3. device ID 7 is usually reserved for use by the host adapter Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1 and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

b. statement 1 and 2 are correct

What two methods are used to protect the reliability of memory? a. parity checking and buffered b. buffered and ECC c. ECC and Parity d. registered and parity

c. ECC and Parity

Which of the following devices goes into an AGP slot? a. Video card b. NIC c. Memory d. Processor

a. Video card

The ____ bus connects the RAM to the CPU a. address b. system c. expansion d. AGP

a. address

Where do you terminate the SCSI chain? a. only at the ends b. at the controller c. only on external devices d. never on the controller

a. only at the ends

Of the following all but one represent the three main categories of a computer system. Which one is not a main component category? a. Hardware b. Firmware c. Display system d. Software

c. Display system

Most types of desktop memory modules use which kind of memory? a. unbuffered memory b. registered c. SDSIMM module d. SODIMM

a. unbuffered memory

UPSs are designed to supply power to a computer long enough for you to complete a formal shutdown. Some vendors and network managers recommend longer amounts of time so that certain processes can be completed or transactions can be journalized and properly time-stamped. What is the minimum time recommendation for a uninterruptable power supply to supply power for the average workstation? a. ¼ hour b. ½ hour c. 60 minutes d. 2 clock cycles + 15 minute buffer

a. ¼ hour

The _____ is the most common type of CMOS battery. a.lithium coin-cell battery b.barrel-style battery c.alkaline battery with a four-pin connector d.lithium battery with a four-pin connector

a.lithium coin-cell battery

How is data transferred in serial communications? a. 10 bits at a time b. 1 bit at a time c. 2 bits at a time (bidirectional) d. 8 bits at a time

b. 1 bit at a time

A single IEEE-1394 port can daisy-chain up to ______ devices a. 8 b. 16 c. 24 d. 7

b. 16

Superspeed USB ports run at a top speed of ______ a. 1.5mbps b. 5Gbps c. 480 megabits d. 240 megabits

b. 5Gbps

How many chips are on a SIMM with parity a. 8 b. 9 c. 7 d. 11

b. 9

A(n)__________ heat sink with a fan is usually required for adequate cooling. a. AMD b. Active c. Passive d. Intel

b. Active

What type of memory treats two matching modules as a single unit? a. Twofold b. Dual-channel c. Single-channel d. DDR2

b. Dual-channel

Critical applications and network servers have a special type of memory. What is it called? a. unbuffered memory b. ECC memory c. registered d. double sided DIMM

b. ECC memory

Which of the following standards are specified by IEEE 1284? a. RS-232 b. EPP and ECP c. Firewire d. USB

b. EPP and ECP

A _________ is a set of two or more pins. a. Block b. Jumper c. Chipset d. Ribbon

b. Jumper

Which motherboard form factor measures 9.6 X 9.6 inches? a. ATX b. Micro ATX c. Mini ITX d. Mobile ITX

b. Micro ATX

The CMOS memory located on the motherboard is often referred to as _____ memory because of its capability to store BIOS settings. a. Volatile b. Nonvolatile c. RAM d. Standard

b. Nonvolatile

Which part of the chipset helps the CPU work with the RAM and video card? a. IDE controller b. Northbridge c. RAID controller d. Southbridge

b. Northbridge

Which of the following is the name for running the processor or memory at speeds faster than what is recommended? a. CPU tweaking b. Overclocking c. Memory leak d. CPU duplicating

b. Overclocking4

Which type of RAM never needs periodic refreshing? a. DRAM b. SRAM c. FPM RAM d. EDO RAM

b. SRAM

Which of the following is not considered to be a legacy I/O port? a. Serial b. USB c. Parallel d. PS/2

b. USB

You check the contents of your computer toolkit before performing internal upgrades on a desktop computer. Which of the following tools in your toolkit should you use to prevent ESD damage to internal components? a. Cable tester b. Wrist strap c. Loopback plugs d. Torx drivers e. Multimeter

b. Wrist strap

The two major symptoms in overloading a power supply are overheating and _______. a. signs of power surges in the video display b. cold boot with memory test c. the solder on the motherboard connections begins to soften d. alternating current surges with the clock cycles

b. cold boot with memory test

While searching the internet to purchase a surge suppressor you find one with a 200V TVSS let-through voltage level. Which of the statements is most likely to be true? a. this one is not likely to be UL 1449 compliant b. relative to other surge suppressors, this one is likely to be more expensive c. this one is likely to filter out EMI but not RFI d. relative to other surge suppressors, this one is likely to be less expensive

b. relative to other surge suppressors, this one is likely to be more expensive

Here are three statements that relate to UPS units. 1. most units on the market are SPS units 2. UPS units are more expensive than SPS units 3. the SPS unit runs your computer from its battery at all times Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1 and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

b. statement 1 and 2 are correct

Here are three statements that relate to parallel ports 1. IEEE 1284a is a DB25 2. IEEE 1284b is a 36 pin connector 3. enhanced parallel port is designed for daisy chaining multiple devices Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

b. statement 1and 2 are correct

Which of these are the two major types of power connectors used on motherboards? a. +10.0, -10.0, +5.0, -5.0 b.24 pin and ATX primary c. 220VDC and 110VDC d. 6 pin Berg and 20 pin

b.24 pin and ATX primary

USB 1.1 ports run at a top speed of ______ a. 56 kilobytes b. 480 megabits c. 12 megabits d. 240 megabits

c. 12 megabits

A USB port can support a total of ______ devices through the use of hubs. a. 8 b. 72 c. 127 d. 256

c. 127

Hi Speed USB ports run at a top speed of ______ a. 256 kilobytes b. 240 megabits c. 480 megabits d. 2.0 megabits

c. 480 megabits

The maximum length for a Hi-Speed USB cable (excluding low-speed devices) is ______ meter(s) a. 1 meter b. 3 meters c. 5 meters d. 10 meters

c. 5 meters

The maximum length for a USB cable attached to 12Mbps or 480Mbps device is ______ meter(s). a. 1 meter b. 3 meters c. 5 meters d. 10 meters

c. 5 meters

Most tower computers have ___________ watt power supplies in them because of the greater number of drives and expansion cards that are available a. 110 b. 220 c. 500 d. +10.0 and -10.0

c. 500

Of the following pairings, which one accurately represents the input and output respectively of power and AC adapters? a. AC in, AC out b. DC in, DC out c. AC in, DC out d. DC in, AC out

c. AC in, DC out

Which of the following is not a common integrated I/O port? a. Serial b. PS/2 c. AUI d. USB

c. AUI

All the following are security features included within the system's typical BIOS dialog menus except ________? a. BIOS password b. Power-On password c. Advanced BIOS security lock d. Boot sector password

c. Advanced BIOS security lock

1. The expansion slot used to hold the codec chip used to translate between analog and digital signals on a small riser was replaced by a ____________ that had a longer design that can support up to 6 channels a. Audio modem riser b. AGP slot c. CNR d. PCI

c. CNR

RS 232 is also known as a. LPT b. HDMI c. COM d. midi

c. COM

When battery loss occurs to the CMOS battery, what continues to happen to configuration settings? a. Configuration settings are still available. b. CMOS is no longer useable. c. Configuration settings are lost. d. Computer continues to reboot.

c. Configuration settings are lost.

The BIOS uses different beep codes to depict different error types. A ______ error would indicate a serious problem with the CPU, POST ROM, system timer, or memory. a. Stable b. Fatal c. Critical d. Serious

c. Critical

What memory module has the capability to perform two transfers per clock cycle? a. SRAM b. DRAM c. DDR SDRAM d. RAMBUS

c. DDR SDRAM

Toolkits generally have _____ for the removal and replacement of jumpers. a. Hex drivers b. crimpers c. Eyebrow tweezers d. Torx driver

c. Eyebrow tweezers

Which type of socket can be described by : Core i7 (9xx series), Xeon (35xx, 36xx, 55xx, 56xx series), Intel Celeron P1053 and may be used by both workstations and servers. a. LGA 155 b. LGA 1156 c. LGA 1366 d. Land Grid Array 775

c. LGA 1366

You are preparing to upgrade the firmware in a system. Which of the following devices are likely to include a firmware chip? a. Serial port b. USB port c. Motherboard d. speaker card

c. Motherboard

What is used as a diagnostic tool to test the functionality of a defective device such as a power supply but can also be used to test coaxial, serial, and parallel cables, as well as fuses, resistors, and batteries? a. Fuse box. b. Voltage meter. c. Multimeter. d. None of the answers provided are correct.

c. Multimeter.

What is used as a diagnostic tool to test the functionality of a defective device such as a power supply but can also be used to test coaxial, serial, and parallel cables, as well as fuses, resistors, and batteries? a. line tester b. Voltage meter. c. Multimeter. d. Cable tester

c. Multimeter.

Which of the following is likely to have a firmware component? a. Video display b. Printer c. Network Interface Card d. DVD drive

c. Network Interface Card

What type of RAM must be installed in pairs? a. SDRAM b. DDR2 c. RDRAM d. DDR

c. RDRAM

Which of the following is not a common keystroke used to start the BIOS setup program at startup? a. F1 key b. F2 key c. Shift+9 key d. Delete key

c. Shift+9 key

_____ are round, plastic or metal pegs that separate the motherboard from the case. a. Dividers b. Jumpers c. Standoffs d. Plugs

c. Standoffs

Hyperthreading is a technology for processing two execution ________ within a single processor core. a. Blocks b. Sockets c. Threads d. None of the above

c. Threads

The BIOS chip creates a link between the operating system and the hardware components. Over time, hardware components become obsolete and are upgraded to meet standards. Suppose a new hard drive is not recognized correctly. What could the end user perform to fix this problem? a. Change operating systems. b. Contact the hard drive manufacturer. c. Upgrade (flash) the BIOS. d. Change the CMOS battery.

c. Upgrade (flash) the BIOS.

Here are three statements that relate to SCSI 1. narrow SCSI host adapters can accommodate up to 7 devices 2. wide SCSI host adapters can accommodate up to 15 devices 3. device ID 7 is usually reserved for use by the host adapter Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct

Here are three statements that relate to power supplies. 1. the acceptable range for power good is +3.0 to 6.0 volts 2. the power good on the ATX 24 and 20 pin connecters is labeled "PWR_OK" 3. part of the POST is to allow the power supply to test each of the voltage levels. The voltage levels must be correct before any other devices are tested. Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct

To help orient the connector on the motherboard pins, look for a small _____ embedded on the connector that marks one of the outside wires as pin 1. a. diamond b. circle c. triangle d. arrow

c. triangle

Microphones plug into the ______ on a sound card or integrated motherboard audio. a. RS232/MIDI Port b. 1/3-inch audio mini jack c. 1/4-inch audio mini jack d. 1/8-inch audio mini jack

d. 1/8-inch audio mini jack

The ______ submenu is used to adjust or determine the order in which drives are checked for bootable media. a. Onboard Devices b. Integrated Peripherals c. Advanced BIOS Settings/Features d. Boot Sequence

d. Boot Sequence

Which connector provides high quality video and audio? a. VGA b. S / PDIF c. S video d. HDMI

d. HDMI

Some motherboard manufacturers include a ______ on the motherboard to enable write-protection and perform a flash recovery on the system's flash BIOS. a. Combination lock b. BIOS switch c. BIOS lock d. Jumper

d. Jumper

To properly insert a memory chip, you must locate the direction of the ______ . a. Data flow b. Processor's locator pin c. Northbridge connector d. Orientation notch e. Parity chip

d. Orientation notch

Which of the following is the most common expansion slot found in PCs? a. ISA b. PCI c. PCI-X d. PCIe

d. PCIe

Which of the following is considered a high speed type of RAM? a. HRAM b. VDRAM c. FRAM d. RDRAM

d. RDRAM

Which of the following ports is used with a network card? a. HDMI b. Parallel c. RJ 11 d. RJ 45

d. RJ 45

Which type of RAM is used mainly for cache memory? a. DRAM b. EDO RAM c. SDRAM d. SRAM

d. SRAM

The CompTIA six-step troubleshooting process includes a step in which you "Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventative measures." Which number is this step? a. Step 2 b. Step 1 c. Step 6 d. Step 5 e. Step 4 f. Step 3

d. Step 5

A technician has booted up the 5-year-old computer of a user who complains that the system suddenly no longer uses his add-on audio card. Upon booting, the technician notices that the system time is 10 years in the past. Which one of the following is a probable cause to investigate? a. The network time server is down. b. The synchronization with atomic clock has failed. c. The user changed the time to avoid passing the expiration date on a trial piece of software. d. The CMOS battery has failed.

d. The CMOS battery has failed.

You want to plug a keyboard into the back of a computer. You know that you need to plug the keyboard into a PS/2. Which style of port is the PS/2? a. DB9 b. DE9 c. DIN 5 d. mini DIN 6

d. mini DIN 6

Here are three statements that relate to SCSI 1. 25 pin or 50 pin SCSI data cables use a set of 2 jumpers 2. 68 pin SCSI data cables use a set of 4 jumpers 3. SE cable has max length of 3 meters, Low Voltage differential has max length of 12 meters Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

Here are three statements that relate to USB 1. series A connectors are used for devices that employ a removable cable 2. series A connectors are used on USB root hubs 3. you need a series A to B cable to attach to a USB hub and a series A to A cable to extend standard cables Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

Here are three statements that relate to USB 1. some devices fail when connected to a bus-powered hub because it provides no more than 900 milliamps of power 2. many systems have 6 USB ports and some systems can support 10 USB ports 3. a root hub can support as many as 2 USB ports Which of the following choices is the most correct description of the three statements above? a. statement 1 is correct b. statement 1and 2 are correct c. statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

d. statements 2 and 3 are correct

Power supplies are rated in __________, and the more _________ a power supply provides, the more devices it can safely power. a. amps b. volts c. output d. watts

d. watts

You check the contents of your computer toolkit before performing upgrades on a desktop computer. Which of the following tools in your toolkit should you use to verify proper operation of the power supply? a. Cable tester b. Wrist strap c. Loopback plugs d. Torx drivers e. Multimeter

e. Multimeter