COMPTIA Chapter 3.4 Motherboard Troubleshooting

S/S of Lack of Power

- Unexpectedly shut down - Continuously reboot itself - Not power on

A clicking noise in your computer has now evolved into a grinding noise. In addition, you are beginning to see frequent error messages while running software, and your computer occasionally freezes. What is the MOST likely cause of these issues? Answer -A failing hard drive -A failing internal fan -A failing video card -A failing RAM card

-A failing hard drive

When you turn on your workstation, you immediately hear a grinding noise coming from inside the computer case. Which of the following are the MOST likely causes of this noise? Answer -An uneven case surface that causes fan blade and motor noise. -Dust buildup that needs to be cleaned. -A video card that is failing. -A connector that is not seated properly. -A POST test error message.

-An uneven case surface that causes fan blade and motor noise. -Dust buildup that needs to be cleaned.

While running a graphics editing program on your Windows workstation, a screen suddenly pops up with an error message warning. You note the error message, but the only way to continue working is to reboot your system. What is this type of error screen called? Answer -SPoD -HVAC -BSoD -POST

-BSoD

After arriving at work, you turn on your computer to begin your day. Instantly, you see smoke and smell a strange odor coming from the computer. Which of the following would be the MOST important action to take first? Answer -Log in and check Event Viewer. -Call the IT director. -Open the computer case and look for dust buildup. -Shut off the system immediately.

-Shut off the system immediately.

When you try to boot your computer, it hangs after POST. When you access the UEFI setup program, you see that the date is several years behind, and the time is set to 12:01 a.m. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this behavior? Answer -The UEFI firmware is outdated. -A RAM module has become unseated from its socket. -The motherboard battery has failed. -The UEFI firmware is corrupt.

-The motherboard battery has failed.

Black Screen

A black screen before login or continuous system reboots indicates a fatal system error. A black screen during daily work indicates different problems to troubleshoot. A black screen was known as a blue screen of death in previous Windows versions.

Distended Capacitors

Capacitors on the motherboard may swell or leak fluid when they become overstressed. When they fail, the motherboard will fail.

Buzzing or Grinding Noise could be caused by:

Dust buildup. Loose screws or bad mounting holds for fans. An uneven case surface can cause fan blade and motor noise. Certain RPM ranges can cause certain fan motors to create noise. The internal cable is too near the fan. Bearings or motors inside are defective or failing.

Overheating

When a computer's internal components generate heat that does not dissipate, the computer's functions and hardware may be damaged.

When booting your workstation, you hear a series of audible beeps, and the system locks up. What is the FIRST step you should take when troubleshooting this issue? Answer -Disconnect non-essential peripherals and try to reboot. -Check for dust buildup inside the case. -Check the motherboard documentation for POST errors. -Replace the motherboard battery.

-Check the motherboard documentation for POST errors.

Which pin on the power supply connector connects to the power good wire on the motherboard in order to indicate an appropriate action for the motherboard if the power disappears, quickly reappears, or does not appear at all? Answer -Pin 8 -Pin 6 -Pin 2 -Pin 5

-Pin 8 Pin 8 on the power supply connector connects to the power good wire on the motherboard. If power disappears from this wire, the motherboard shuts down.

While performing data entry on your Windows 11 laptop, your screen suddenly goes black. What can you do immediately to troubleshoot the issue without losing any data that you have entered? Answer -Press F5 four times -Press Ctrl + Alt + Del -Press the Windows key + P four times -Press Ctrl + Shift + B

-Press the Windows key + P four times

An employee calls to complain that their computer is behaving erratically. Some days, it functions correctly, and other days, it crashes frequently. Sometimes, the system won't boot at all. You open the system case and notice the following: - Two of the mounting screws are missing from the system hard disk drive. - The system uses memory modules from several different manufacturers with mismatched capacities. - Several capacitors on the motherboard are bulging and have a brown liquid oozing from them. - The chassis fan on the front of the case is oriented to blow air into the system. What should you do? Answer -Reorient the chassis fan to draw air out of the system case. -Replace the motherboard. -Use additional screws to mount the hard disk drive to the system case. -Replace the leaky capacitors on the motherboard. -Replace the existing memory modules with matching modules.

-Replace the motherboard.

When playing videos games or watching movies on your workstation, the screen sometimes freezes and displays strange colors. You suspect that your video card is causing the issues. What is the BEST solution to resolve your display issues? Answer -Update the video card driver. -Check the video card fan. -Replace the video card. -Check the video card connectors.

-Replace the video card.

Steps to take for a Black Screen

1.)Disconnect non-essential peripherals to the PC and try rebooting. -If you get a black screen with spinning dots during startup it means an update is installed. -If it never completes, there could be a compatibility problem. -You can try updating the drivers to resolve the problem. 2.)Disable all non-essential applications and put them to sleep automatically. This allows you to get the most out of resources, such as RAM and CPU. Then, try rebooting. 3.)Reset to default settings using core BIOS/UEFI configurations by interrupting startup. -Ensure the Boot Priority is the hard disk. -Try rebooting. 4.)Launch a Windows repair and perform a system restore. 5.)Try booting into Safe Mode.

Steps top take if Black screen happen after the OS Loads

1.)Double-check all physical and configured connections on the device and display including power, video port, video card, etc. Also try using a different display monitor and cable. 2.)Detect the display and check the brightness setting. -On Windows 11, press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart video driver. You will hear a beep indicating a response. -You can press Windows key + P four times to switch between four different display modes to see if the black screen disappears. 3.)Disable all automatic applications and reboot. 4.)Reinstall or roll back device drivers and graphics driver. 5.)Reboot.

post card

a test card installed in a slot on the motherboard that is used to help discover and report computer errors before the OS is launched.

Boot Errors

if a problem is identified during POST, an error is generated usually one of these error messages will generate: - Audible beeps - Numeric Codes - Error Messages *Codes very from Manufacturer*

Ctrl + Alt + Del

lets you terminate an application task or reboot the OS.

Ctrl + Shift + B

resets the video driver in windows 10 and can be useful when encountering a black screen.

Windows key + P (four times)

use if you load OS but screen goes black, This command switches between the four different display modes to see if the black screen disappears. *Only Windows 11

fixing a Distended Capacitor

while it is possible to replace a failed capacitor it's usually faster and more cost-effective to replace the motherboard.