Hardware + Network Troubleshooting

B. DISKPART The DISKPART command has replaced FDISK command for disk and partition configuration in Windows.

Which Windows 7 command line tool would be the best choice for partitioning a new SSD? A. FORMAT B. DISKPART C. PARTINIT D. BOOTEC E. VOLUMEINIT

A. BOOTREC /fixboot Windows Vista and Windows 7 uses the BOOTREC command to make repairs to boot records. The /fixboot option will repair a volume's boot record.

Which command would repair a volume boot record in a Windows Vista system recovery option command prompt? A. BOOTREC /fixboot B. FIXMBR C. FIXBOOT D. BOOTREC /fixmbr

A. ipconfig /all The /all option of ipconfig displays the complete IP address details for all network adapters.

Which command would you use to view a computer's complete IP address configuration in Windows? A. ipconfig /all B. ipconfig /update C. ipconfig /address D. ipconfig /report E. ipconfig /release

C. Inverter An inverter is used to convert DC to AC power, needed by fluorescent backlights.

Which component is used to power an LCD fluorescent backlight? A. Converter B. Modulator C. Inverter D. Trancseiver E. Diode

D. Connect wires to a 110 block A punch-down tool is designed for connecting wires to a wiring block. The punch-down tool presses the wires into a block that breaks through the insulation and holds the wires tightly in place.

Which of the following would be the best use of a punch-down tool? A. Connect an RJ45 connector to an Ethernet patch cable B. Strip away the outer layer of a cable C. Create a wire map of an Ethernet patch cable D. Connect wires to a 110 block E. Determine the length of an installed UTP cable run

D. ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew

Which procedure would be the best choice for updating the DHCP-enabled IP address lease of a workstation? A. netstat /all, ipconfig /release B. ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /netstat C. ipconfig /flushdns D. ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew

D. Event Log The Windows Event Log contains a log of the stop error and the technical information about the error.

After a system has rebooted after a Windows stop Error, where can you find detailed info about the error? A. Performance Manager B. Task Manager C. Recovery Console D. Event Log E. The Stop Error details are removed after a reboot

C. Perform diagnostics on an Ethernet adapter Loopback plugs are useful for testing physical interfaces on devices. Loopback plugs are commonly used for serial connections, Ethernet interfaces, and WAN connections.

In which case would you most likely use a loopback plug? A. Connect 2 Ethernet devices directly together B. Test power supply voltages C. Perform diagnostics on an Ethernet adapter D. Determine the pinouts of an Ethernet cable E. Redirect network traffic to a protocol analyzer

B. You need to run a diagnostic on an Ethernet port A loopback plug works in conjunction with a diagnostic process to determine if the data sent over a connection is properly received after looping back through the plug.

In which situation would you use a loopback plug? A. You need to monitor the data on a SATA connection B. You need to run a diagnostic on an Ethernet port C. You need to terminate a SCSI chain D. You need to modify the resolution of an LCD monitor

C. Controls secondary features on certain keys Laptop keyboards are usually at a premium for space, so we need to access multiple features with a limited number of keys. The "Function" key is a laptop-specific toggle that provides access to features that won't fit anywhere else on the keyboard.

What does a key marked "Fn" provide? A. Allows access to the laptop storage subsystem B. Enables and disables the laptop's security features C. Controls secondary features on certain keys D. Prints the contents of the screen to any connected printer

C. Provides access to Windows networking features from the command line The "net" command provides features such as "net view" to view Windows shares, "net start" to start Windows services, and "net group" that can manage Domain groups.

What functions are primarily associated with the "net" command? A. Validates the reachability of a host across the network B. Provides the IP configuration of a workstation C. Provides access to Windows networking features from the command line D. Traces the route that IP packets take from one device to another

D. tracert 192.168.1.2 The tracert or traceroute command is used to determine the route that a packet takes to a destination address.

What would be the best way to determine the route between your PC and a remote device at 192.168.1.2? A. net route 192.168.1.2 B. ping 192.168.1.2 C. nbstat 192.168.1.2 D. tracert 192.168.1.2 E. netstat -r 192.168.1.2

D. Boot Sector The MBR (Master Boot Record) or EFI System Partition code resides on the first sector of a storage device.

What would you commonly find in the first sector of a storage device? A. Boot Loader B. BIOS C. Registry D. Boot Sector

C. The LCD backlight wouldn't be lit The LCD inverter converts the laptop's DC power to AC power for the LCD backlights. If the inverter fails, the display will still work but it will be difficult to read without a backlight.

What would you expect to see if your laptop's LCD inverter is faulty? A. The LCD wouldn't display colors B. The LCD would be completely white C. The LCD backlight wouldn't be lit D. The LCD would show everything in reverse

A. Replace the bad drive A RAID 1 is mirrored, so even if one drive is lost, you can still run and you'll have access to your data. You'll want to replace the bad drive as soon as possible. When the drive is replaced in the array, the RAID controller will rebuild the new drive to properly mirror the existing data.

What's the best next step if your server has a RAID I array that has alarmed with a failed drive? A. Replace the bad drive B. Replace all drives in the array C. Reseat the drive controller adapter card D. Replace the cables used by the faulty drive

C. Make sure that no removable storage devices are connected Your computer's BIOS will try to boot from the 1st device in its list of boot devices. If a removable device contains any type of media, it will attempt to boot from that device. To fix this problem, simply disconnect the removable media so the boot process will continue to the correct drive.

What's the best troubleshooting step when you see "OS not found" upon starting your computer? A. Rebuild the MBR B. Run CHKDSK on the boot volume C. Make sure that no removable storage devices are connected D. Rebuild the boot sector E. Run a hardware diagnostic

B. Start Windows in VGA mode VGA mode is a generic video mode that every video device cause. If there's an issue with a video driver or resolution setting, VGA mode will allow you to boot into Windows and make any video configuration changes without any complicated file or registry changes.

What's the best troubleshooting step when your newly upgraded LCD display goes black when Windows begins to load, after showing the normal POST messages? A. Boot into recovery console and manually remove the registry entries for the video driver B. Start Windows in VGA mode C. Return the LCD and get a replacement D. Boot into recovery console and delete the video driver files

A. Check the printer consumables If the built-in test isn't working, then the OS or the connection to the printer can't be part of the issue. The problem must be associated with something inside the printer itself.

What's the best troubleshooting step when your test print from the front panel of a laser printer results in a blank sheet of paper? A. Check the printer consumables B. Stop and restart the Windows Spooler service C. Replace the printer cable D. Run a Windows test print

B. Check the system for overheating If your system is acting flaky during times of high use, then your first (and probably easiest) troubleshooting should be associated with your cooling system. It doesn't take much CPU use to drive the temperatures through the roof, and if your ventilation & fans are suffering, then your system will eventually give up the ghost.

What's the best troubleshooting when a PC randomly gives a blue Windows STOP error multiple times a day, which always occurs when the processor is under heavy use (e.g. video rendering / graphics editing), and runs without errors the rest of the time? A. Perform a hard drive diagnostic B. Check the system for overheating C. Examine the USB port power usage D. Update the video driver

B. Remove the entire power supply and replace it with a new power supply The internal components of a PC power supply aren't designed for a field repair at the component level. Since it's almost always more cost effective to completely replace the power supply, a quick swap is in order. Removing a few screws will free the existing power supply, and the replacement should fit into the same form-factor.

What's the best way to repair a power supply in your computer that has failed and you need to get it up and running again? A. Open the power supply and use a multimeter to identify and replace the bad components B. Remove the entire power supply and replace it with a new power supply C. Move the hard drive, motherboard, and other peripherals to another computer with a working power supply D. Power supply units can't be individually replaced. You'll need a new computer.

A. Replace the monitor Dead pixels are a hardware problem on the display and can't generally be resolved with software updates. The best solution would be to replace the monitor with one that has all the pixels working properly.

What's the best way to resolve a few pixels on your LCD always displaying as black? A. Replace the monitor B. Install updated video drivers C. Change the video resolution D. Restart the computer E. Bang on the monitor until all the pixels match the black ones

B. The keyboard's Fn key is pressed

What's the issue when a client calls you about a problem where they are using their laptop keyboard, but the keys on the main part of the keyboard are typing out numbers instead of letters? A. The keyboard is faulty B. The keyboard's Fn key is pressed C. The keyboard is incorrectly configured for another language D. The keyboard requires cleaning

D. The toner is low As the amount of toner decreases, the printed page will begin to fade as less toner makes it from the cartridge to the printed page. Once the toner cartridge is replaced, the page will return to the normal printing.

What's the most likely cause for the output from your laser printer being readable, but the content of every page has gradually faded over the last week and instead of dark print, the information is a shade of gray? A. A faulty printer driver B. The printer nozzles are clogged C. The photosensitive drum is scratched D. The toner is low

B. The adapter card isn't seated properly One of the challenges when working with new adapter cards is to ensure they're completely seated into the motherboard slot. If the adapter card is even a bit off, the card won't be recognized.

What's the most likely cause of Windows 7 not recognizing a newly installed modem adapter card and the adapter not appearing in Windows Device Manager? A. The modem card drivers aren't loaded B. The adapter card isn't seated properly C. The adapter slot is disabled in the BIOS D. The modem card isn't compatible with the computer

A. The PC power supply is faulty If no power is getting to any part of the computer, then you're probably faced with a power supply issue. Replacing the power supply can usually correct the issue.

What's the most likely cause of a blank screen and no sound from a computer your powering on at the start of the day (the LCD display power lights are on, but the computer lights aren't lit)? A. The PC power supply is faulty B. The video card is faulty C. The hard drive is faulty D. The power settings in the BIOS are incorrect

D. The network cable is physically disconnected There are often 2 status lights on a network adapter. One usually shows the existence of a physical link, and it will be lit if the adapter is enabled and a signal is detected. The other status light usually blinks as traffic is sent or received across the network.

What's the most likely cause of a computer suddenly stopping all communications over the network, not seeing any status lights when you look at the network connection? A. The network adapter is disabled B. A network driver is conflicting with another component C. Your computer is infected with malware D. The network cable is physically disconnected

C. The power supply is faulty If the power output from the power supply is not matching the correct output, then the issue is most likely with the operation of the power supply. Although you were only changing the motherboard, it appears that the power supply picked a coincidental time to fail.

What's the most likely cause of a system with a newly installed motherboard not POST-ing while the 5 volt rail is showing 5 volts but the 12 volt rail shows 0 volts? A. The new motherboard is faulty B. The building power receptacle is faulty C. The power supply is faulty D. The AC power cable is faulty

B. The antenna cable isn't properly connected to the mini-PCI card If the wireless adapter card is working but the signal is weak, the problem is usually associated with the antenna. Attaching or reseating the antenna usually solves the issue.

What's the most likely cause of difficulty maintaining a constant wireless connection after installing a mini-PCI 802.11g wireless adapter into a laptop? (the signal barely registers even when the laptop is next to the access point) A. The mini-PCI card isn't compatible with this laptop model B. The antenna cable isn't properly connected to the mini-PCI card C. The mini-PCI adapter isn't configured with the correct drivers D. The mini-PCI adapter is 802.11g and the access point is 802.11b

A. The printer is low on ink Since most inkjet printers combine colors together to create the final hues, a low ink cartridge may be throwing off the color calibration of the final output.

What's the most likely cause of the colors not being accurately represented on a page when a color graphic is printed on an inkjet printer? A. The printer is low on ink B. The fuser isn't working properly C. The print head is clogged D. The printer carriage isn't aligned properly

D. The fuser assembly is faulty The laser printer's fuser is responsible for applying heat and pressure to permanently melt the toner onto the paper. If the fuser isn't working, the toner will be easily smudged and transferred from the page.

What's the most likely cause of toner smudges on the page, transferring to your fingers, when you remove your output from a network laser printer? A. The printer is using the wrong kind of toner B. The pickup rollers are worn C. The drum is not being properly cleaned D. The fuser assembly is faulty E. The charging wire is faulty

A. The application isn't configured properly Because your Windows Printer Test Page prints normally, you know the problem isn't related to the driver, the printer, or the cable. If the printout continues to be unreadable, then the issue is most likely related to the application's configuration.

What's the most likely cause of unreadable output from a color laser printer while using an older, rarely-used, program? Instead of text, the display is full of special characters, block graphics, and other odd symbols. The Windows Test Page has the printer working properly. A. The application isn't configured properly B. The printer driver has recently been updated C. The printer cable is faulty D. The printer buffer memory is too small for your output

D. The processor's heat sink has detached from the CPU An abrupt shutdown after heavy utilization is often indicative of an overheating issue. There aren't many parts that can come loose and bounce around inside of the case, so it's reasonable to assume that a heat sink may have come loose from a component that needs the cooling.

What's the most likely cause of your computer abruptly shutting down after less than an hour of heavy utilization when something is loose and bouncing around the inside of the desktop case? A. A memory module has dislodged from the motherboard B. The hard drive is beginning to fail C. An adapter card is loose D. The processor's heat sink has detached from the CPU

C. The computer's battery needs to be replaced The battery on the motherboard of a computer maintains the configuration when the system is disconnected from normal power sources. If the battery loses its charge, the CMOS configuration won't be maintained and the configuration will need to be rebuilt each time the system boots.

What's the most likely cause of your computer complaining the configuration is invalid and the date and time is reset back to defaults every time you start it? A. The BIOS needs to be upgraded B. The power supply is faulty C. The computer's battery needs to be replaced D. The motherboard is faulty

A. The power supply is faulty The power supply takes the AC power from the wall outlet and outputs many different DC voltages. These different voltage rails are used by the motherboard for different tasks. For example, many powerful CPUs use 12 volt power, and other components might use 3.3 volts.

What's the most likely cause of your desktop not starting when turning on the power: the system lights up but never displays anything onscreen, the voltage from the wall appears normal on a multimeter, the 12 volt pin on the motherboard shows 6 volts. A. The power supply is faulty B. The motherboard is faulty C. The computer devices that use 12 volt power are faulty D. The wall outlet voltage is mismatched to the power supply

A. The new power adapter doesn't have enough voltage to power the laptop and charge the battery at the same time Since the battery charges normally when the load of the laptop doesn't exist, the most likely cause is the under-powered laptop power source.

What's the most likely cause of your laptop battery not charging while the laptop is powered on after recently replacing your power adapter/cord; the battery charges normally when the laptop is powered off. A. The new power adapter doesn't have enough wattage to power the laptop and charge the battery at the same time B. The new power adapter has damaged the battery C. The new power supply requires OS-specific driver(s) to regulate battery charging D. The laptop's charging system is incompatible with the model of power adapter

D. The printer has a bad IP address If a major network event has occurred, then it's possible that the devices on the network need to be restarted with the updated network configuration information. Since printers are rarely restarted, a manual reboot may be necessary before the other network devices can see the printer.

What's the most likely cause of your networked laser printer not being visible on your network after a weekend network upgrade and everything else is working normally? A. The printer's print queue is corrupted B. The printer is out of ink C. The new network configuration can't support laser printers D. The printer has a bad IP address

B. The laptop manufacturer Because there are no standard for laptop design, every laptop has its own unique layout & configuration. The best place to get the proper documentation for servicing a laptop would be directly from the laptop manufacturer.

Where is the best place to obtain service manuals for a specific model of laptop? A. Independent eBay store B. The laptop manufacturer C. 3rd-party web sites D. The store where the laptop was purchased E. Most laptops don't require model-specific manuals

A. Signal link and C. Network activity A network card status lights is used quite often when installing or troubleshooting network connections. With a quick glance, you can see if the network link is physically connected or if there's any network traffic across the link. The lights can also sometimes describe the speed of the network connection (i.e. green = 100 Mb/s, amber = 1 Gb/s).

Which 2 are signified by flashing lights on a network interface card (on the RJ-45 port)? A. Signal link B. Error packets C. Network activity D. Packet size

B. The paper path is damaged and C. Somebody ordered the wrong paper The paper path of a laser printer often has many twists and turns, and any problem with the paper path can cause your printout to become jammed inside of the printer. It's common to have dirty or worn rollers cause an issue, but the incorrect type of paper can also create jams inside of the printer.

Which 2 causes might cause a laser printer on the 3rd floor to jam constantly? A. The laser printer fuser isn't working B. The paper path is damaged C. Somebody ordered the wrong paper D. The photosensitive drum is scratched E. The print spooler is failing

A. ping, B. tracert and C. nslookup Although nslookup is specifically designed to resolve names and IP addresses, ping and tracert must also resolve the IP address before they can perform the ping or tracert. If you run each of these programs, you'll see the resolved IP address in the results.

Which 3 can provide you with the IP address of a device if you already know the host name? A. ping B. tracert C. nslookup D. ipconfig

D. /r The /f flag will fix any logical file system problems, but you'll have to choose the /r flag to also include the check and possible recovery of data from any bad hard drive sectors.

Which CHKDSK flag will fix logical file system errors and identify any bad hard drive sectors? A. /logical B. /f C. /n D. /r

D. DISKPART The DISKPART command can be used for many disk functions, including partitioning. Prior to DISKPART (pre-Windows XP), the FDISK utility was used for storage device administration.

Which command can be used in Windows 7 to partition a storage device? A. FDISK B. PARTITION C. FORMAT D. DISKPART

A. bootrec /fixmbr In Windows 7, the bootrec command can repair your master boot record, rewrite your boot sector, fix your boot configuration data, and more.

Which command can be used with Windows 7 to repair a master boot record? A. bootrec /fixmbr B. fixmbr c: C. fixboot /mbr D. bootrec /mbrfix

B. netdom Although the Active Directory database can be managed from a graphical utility, the netdom command provides Active Directory management at the command line.

Which command is the best choice to write a script that will add a group of new users to the Windows Active Directory domain? A. nslookup B. netdom C. netstat D. net add E. nbtstat

C. nbtstat -a server1 The nbtstat command with the lowercase -a option will query a hostname. Using the uppercase -A option allows you to query a device by IP address.

Which command will display NetBIOS names from SERVER1? A. netstat -A server1 B. nbtstat -n server1 C. nbtstat -a server1 D. ipconfig -A server1 E. nbstat -a server1

C. ifconfig The ipconfig command in Windows will provide you with the details of your network configuration, including MAC address and IP address info. In Linux, a similar function is provided with the ifconfig command.

Which command would be the best choice for displaying details about your network configuration on a Linux workstation? A. Is B. nbtstat C. ifconfig D. traceroute E. netstat

A. S.M.A.R.T. Self-monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) is included with hard drives to help monitor error rates, temperature, time in use, and many other metrics.

Which is the best choice for monitoring the temperature of your hard drive over a 24 hour period? A. S.M.A.R.T. B. ACPI C. BIOS Diagnostics D. USB E. Windows Memory Diagnostics

C. Use a multimeter on the DVD-ROM Molex connector Before you begin swapping hardware, it would be useful to know the extent of the problem. By measuring the power provided to the DVD-ROM over the Molex connector, you can determine if the power supply is sending the expected power or if the DVD-ROM might be faulty.

Which is the best troubleshooting step after installing a new power supply but the DVD-ROM isn't receiving any power? A. Swap the power supply for a brand new model B. Replace the power supply for one with a higher wattage rating C. Use a multimeter on the DVD-ROM Molex connector D. Replace the DVD-ROM driver

C. Restart the device When a touchscreen becomes non-responsive, there aren't a lot of options for troubleshooting. The best course of action would be to restart the device and see if the problem continues.

Which is the best troubleshooting step when a mobile device is displaying the main screen but the touchscreen isn't responding to any input? A. Perform a factory reset B. Replace the touchscreen hardware C. Restart the device D. Upgrade the mobile device OS E. Connect a charging cable

A. Run motherboard diagnostics If the PC is running normally for an extended period of time and then unexpectedly halts, the issue isn't something that can be easily identified. For this type of issue, an extended diagnostic session may be able to point to a bad set of memory, an overheating, or some other seemingly random issue.

Which is the best troubleshooting step when one of your desktop PCs consistently hangs the OS after 2 hours of use? A. Run motherboard diagnostics B. Upgrade the BIOS C. Check the startup process with a POST test card D. Disable all external peripherals

C. Use a monitor that will pixel-shift Pixel Shift is a feature of some displays that will automatically shift the image by a few pixels in an effort to avoid any long-term burn-in on the video display.

Which is the best way to avoid monitor burn-in? A. Always use the latest display drivers B. Power the monitor from a separate electrical circuit C. Use a monitor that will pixel-shift D. Only use full-screen applications E. Use the monitor at the lowest refresh rate

A. Restart the print job from the printer queue The printer queue can be viewed by selecting the printer and displaying the pending print jobs. Right-mouse clicking the print job and selecting "Restart" will reset the job back to the beginning.

Which is the best way to restart a printing from the beginning of a document without losing your place in the print queue after one of your printouts has jammed in the middle of a page? A. Restart the print job from the printer queue B. Restart the printer in Device Manager C. Find the print job in the Task Manager and restart D. Restart the print spooler from Windows Services

D. Use the "Print Test Page" function from the printer driver Windows includes a test print feature that's built into the OS. This "Print Test Page" feature is part of the printer properties and doesn't rely on any particular Windows application.

Which is the best way to test printer output without using the print function of a Windows application? A. Print from the Windows Recovery Console B. Connect the printer to a Linux workstation C. Use any application, but print in black & white instead of color D. Use the "Print Test Page" function from the printer driver E. Hold the "PrtScn" key when Windows is starting

A. The system RAM is faulty The POST (Power On Self Test) is a hardware test that occurs before the OS is loaded. If the POST detects an issue, a message will be displayed or the PC will provide a beep code. The motherboard manufacturer's documentation can provide info on specific errors associated with beep codes.

Which is the most likely cause for your computer screen remaining blank and the computer beeping 4 times when you start it? A. The system RAM is faulty B. The Windows registry is corrupt C. No OS is installed D. The Windows OS resolution doesn't match the display resolution E. The power supply is faulty

C. The inverters are faulty An LCD panel with florescent backlights relies on inverters to convert the laptop's DC power to AC power. If the inverter is faulty, the fluorescent lights won't have the power required to provide a backlight.

Which is the most likely cause of an extremely dark and difficult to read LCD when powering on a laptop? A. The laptop power supply is faulty B. The LCD display is faulty C. The inverters are faulty D. The video driver needs to be upgraded E. The LCD isn't set to the native resolution

A. Hardware issue If the POST (Power On Self Test) fails, you'll get a message before the OS is even loaded. If the problem is hardware-related (especially memory or video), you'll get a black screen and some beeps.

Which is the most likely cause of getting a black screen and a series of beeps instead of the normal Windows startup screen when starting your computer? A. Hardware issue B. OS not found C. Video driver mismatch D. Bad mouse or keyboard

D. The HD is faulty If your computer can't find a boot device, then your hard drive is probably not talking properly to your computer, especially when the computer apparently worked fine on Friday.

Which is the most likely cause of seeing "No Boot Device Available" after starting your computer after and long weekend? A. The power supply is faulty B. Your keyboard and mouse were detached by the weekend cleaning crew C. Your memory is faulty D. The HD is faulty

D. The output is a very complex diagram Because the laser printer must generate an entire page before printing, complex diagrams require more memory utilization. A page of text requires relatively little memory compared to the graphical output of a blueprint.

Which is the most likely reason a laser printer would show an "Out of Memory" error? A. The output was designed in color, but the laser printer prints only black & white B. The output is a 125-page book report C. The printer is low on toner and can't complete the print job D. The output is a very complex diagram E. The connection between the computer and the printer is faulty

B. Run a test print from Printer Properties The Windows test print is designed to test the capabilities of the print driver by sending a relatively simple output page using the Windows printing system. Instead of complicating the issue with 3rd party applications, the built-in test print narrows your troubleshooting to just the necessary components.

Which method would be the best way to test the functionality of your Windows printer driver? A. Run a test print from the printer's console B. Run a test print from Printer Properties C. Run a test print from your favorite word processing app D. Run a test print using a document from another computer

D. Increase read & write performance to the drive The disk defragmentation of a spinning hard drive consolidates pieces of files into contiguous areas, which improves performance for reading and writing file information.

Which would be the best reason for scheduling a periodic disk defragmentation? A. Increase video response rate B. Encrypt data files C. Remove old cache and temporary files D. Increase read & write performance to the drive E. Update Windows OS files

B. Remove the storage device from the laptop and install it into an external disk enclosure An external disk enclosure can be used to gain access to many storage devices, even if the original computer isn't available

Which would be the best way to recover data from a laptop that has a faulty motherboard? A. Connect the laptop to another device through Ethernet connection B. Remove the storage device from the laptop and install it into an external disk enclosure C. Boot to a DVD-ROM and perform a data backup D. Use the manufacturer's utility disk to gain access to the data partition E. Restore from backup to an identical laptop make & model

C. Use a toner vacuum Laser printers can accumulate a large amount of dust and toner, and a specialized toner vacuum can safely remove the toner and paper particles from the inside of the printer.

Which would be the best way to remove toner and paper dust from the inside of a laser printer? A. Wipe with water and isopropyl alcohol B. Run a cleaning page through the printer C. Use a toner vacuum D. Use a chemical cleaner that can easily remove toner particles

B. The wireless access point is rebooting When a switch, router, or another infrastructure device is unstable, then the connectivity on the local network will be intermittent.

Which would be the most likely reason for intermittent network connectivity? A. The OS is scheduled for a monthly security patch B. The wireless access point is rebooting C. The patch cable is wired for 568A instead of 568B D. The workstation has been assigned an APIPA address E. The network is running at a gigabit Ethernet speeds

A. Table of primary partitions A disk's MBR (Master Boot Record) contains a table of the disk's primary partitions, a disk signature, and other directions for starting the OS.

Which would you expect an MBR to contain? A. Table of primary participants B. List of bad disk sectors C. Windows Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store D. The Windows Security Accounts Manager

A. Fuser unit A fuser unit's heat and pressure cause it to wear at a faster rate, so it's not unusual to include a replacement fuser unit with a laser printer maintenance kit.

Which would you most likely find in a laser printer maintenance kit? A. Fuser unit B. Corona wire C. Toner cartridge D. Power supply

D. The print spooler is faulty The print spooler is a software service that runs in the background, and its primary responsibility is sending print jobs from the queue to the printer. If the spooler isn't working properly, the print jobs will sit quietly in the queue and the printer will never know there's something to print. To resolve the issue, you can usually restart the Spooler service in Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services.

None of your print jobs of a number of documents / presentations started to print. The printer has no error messages and Windows isn't noting any issues. What's the most likely cause? A. The cable to the printer is not connected B. The printer is out of ink C. The printer's paper tray is empty D. The print spooler is faulty

D. netstat The net stat command can provide you with many details about network communication, open ports, and connected clients.

What network utility is the best choice to find out what devices are connecting to a web server your managing? A. nslookup B. ipconfig C. tracert D. netstat

D. Modify the BIOS to boot from the internal hard drive The BIOS can be configured with the boot order for storage devices. A simple configuration can set the internal drive to be the priority.

How can you prevent a USB drive from booting when connecting an external USB drive and starting your computer? A. Modify the boot order in Windows Disk Management B. Rebuild the MBR on the external hard drive C. Disable the external drive in Device Manager D. Modify the BIOS to boot from the internal hard drive

A. Consolidates pieces of files on a hard drive Disk defragmentation moves fragmented files on a hard drive to create contiguous files. It's faster for a hard drive to retrieve a file from one area on a drive than from many separate locations.

How does running defrag.exe improve system performance? A. Consolidates pieces of files on a hard drive B. Compresses system memory C. Moves smaller files to the inside tracks of a hard drive D. Moves files into protected memory areas E. Separates large files into smaller pieces

B. The airflow through the computer is obstructed The airflow through a computer is a critical part of overall system cooling. It's remarkable how much can go wrong if the fan becomes obstructed. If you keep your airflow open, the fan won't have to work as hard and your computer will maintain a cooler temperature.

Which is the most likely reason for increasing fan noise from your year-old desktop's calling fan? A. It's normal for cooling fans to get louder as they age B. The airflow through the computer is obstructed C. The BIOS is misconfigured D. The fan is an incorrect model for the type of computer

C. Your private key needs to be installed on your mobile device Each user has a private key that is used to decrypt private email messages. If the key isn't installed on your mobile device, it won't be able to view encrypted messages.

Which is the most likely reason for receiving a message that the device is unable to decrypt email while trying to view corporate mail on your mobile device? A. Your device doesn't support encrypted messages B. The OS of your device needs to be upgraded C. Your private key needs to be installed on your device D. Your email app isn't working properly E. The decryption hardware in your devices is faulty

D. System delays when right-mouse clicking on the desktop A hard drive problem can manifest itself with read or write errors, blue screen of death issues, clicking noises, and noticeable delays.

Which is the most likely symptom of a hard drive problem? A. Printing errors to network printers B. Connectivity to internet web sites is intermittent C. The video display is blurred and shows artifacts D. System delays when right-mouse clicking on the desktop

B. Confirm the power supply is switchable An auto-switching laptop power supply can be used in many different countries, although you may need an adapter to modify the connection that plugs into the foreign power outlet. With a switching power supply, you probably won't need to worry with additional power supplies when you move from country to country.

Which should you check to assist with foreign power and voltage requirements? A. Make sure the Windows laptop power drivers are updated to the latest version B. Confirm the power supply is switchable C. Include a BIOS setup disk inside the laptop bag D. Test that the laptop can properly charge the battery

D. Crimper A crimping tool is designed to connect copper wires to the inside of an RJ-45 connector.

Which tool would be the best choice for attaching an RJ-45 connector? A. Punchdown tool B. Loopback plug C. Toner probe D. Crimper

E. Cable tester A wire map is a diagram showing the wiring pins between the connectors on a cable. E.G. a straight through cable would have a wire map showing pin 1 connecting to pin 1, pin 2 connecting to pin 2, and so on. A cable tester would put a remote device on one end of the cable and the tester on the other end, and the tester would then display the dispositions of the individual wires.

Which tool would be the best choice for building a wire map? A. Loopback plug B. Punch-down tool C. Toner probe D. 110 block E. Cable tester

C. Punch-down tool A punch-down tool applies pressure to push and trim wires into a wiring block connector.

Which tool would be the best choice to connect a network cable to a wiring block? A. Crimper B. Loopback Plug C. Punch-down tool D. Modular connector E. Baling wire

B. Confirm that the local IP stack is working properly The 127.0.0.1 address is the local loopback for the device, and pinging the loopback address can confirm that your local IP stack and OS configuration is working properly. The next steps would most likely be to ping the IP address on your network adapter and then another device on your local subnet, such as your default gateway.

Which troubleshooting task would be accomplished by pinging 127.0.0.1? A. Validate that the default gateway is responding B. Confirm the local IP stack is working properly C. Test Windows Update connectivity D. Determine round-trip tie to a site across the Internet E. Identify open ports on the local device

B. Traceroute utility Traceroute, or the Windows tracert utility, maps out the route that a packet takes to its destination. If a route doesn't complete, then the last hop is where you should start investigating.

Which would best determine where the network failure is occurring if your network connection from your headquarters building is no longer connecting to one of your remote offices? A. Toner and probe B. Traceroute utility C. Windows recovery console D. Protocol analyzer

C. Get a good view of the sky GPS uses the signals received multiple satellites, so a good view of the sky is an important consideration.

Which would give you the best GPS accuracy? A. Get within range of an 802.11 wireless access point B. Synchronize your clock C. Get a good view of the sky D. Keep moving while measuring GPS signal info E. Disable location mode on your mobile device

D. NBTSTAT The NBTSTAT is a great utility for troubleshooting and identifying devices using NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Using the /A command line switch will allow you to input an IP address for a name query.

While troubleshooting a network issue, you identify the IP address of a suspicious workstation: what Windows command line utility can query a remote device and return the NetBIOS name? A. TRACERT B. NETSTAT C. NSLOOKUP D. NBTSTAT

C. Toner particles require a unique filter Toner vacuums are designed specifically to handle the finer toner particles and static-sensitive areas of a laser printer.

Why would you need a vacuum cleaner specifically designed for laser printers? A. Toner contains dangerous chemicals that could damage normal vacuums B. Laser printers use a different voltage than most computer equipment C. Toner particles require a unique filter D. Normal vacuums don't have enough suction for laster printer toner

C. Print a test page Before going through the process of replacing cartridges and reinstalling software, you should eliminate the easiest problems first. A test page is simple and quick, and will tell you immediately if the problem is related to the printer or the graphics application. You may need to replace cartridges and/or clean the printer, but it shouldn't always be your first option.

What should be the 1st thing you troubleshoot when the output from a graphics program to a laser printer shows a thin black streak running the length of the page? A. Reinstall the graphics program B. Clean the corona wire C. Print a test page D. Replace the toner cartridge

B. Laser Unlike other printer technologies, laser printers must build a picture of the entire page inside of memory before the printing process can begin. If the page contains too much info, the available memory can be used up and an "out of memory" error is given. The resulting page only contains some of the content, and sometimes won't print at all. The resolution is upgrading the printer's memory, if possible.

What type of printer would have an issue when printing certain graphical documents, displaying an "out of memory" error? A. Inkjet B. Laser C. Thermal D. Dot-Matrix

B. The mobile device will shut down If a mobile device becomes too hot, sensors will detect the increase in temperature and automatically shut down the device.

What would be a common result of a mobile device that's overheated? A. The battery will no longer hold a charge B. The mobile device will shut down C. Active applications will automatically close D. The cooling fan speed will increase E. The CPU will operate at a slower speed

A. FORMAT The FORMAT command is commonly used to add a file system to a partition. If any data is currently on the partition, the FORMAT command will overwrite the file structure, effectively removing all previous data.

Which command would be the best choice for initializing a partition with a file system? A. FORMAT B. NTFS C. BOOTREC /SYS D. DISKINIT E. CHKDSK

D. nbtstat -A 192.168.1.6 The nbtstat command provides NetBIOS info about a device, and you can reference the device by IP address with -A or by IP address with the -a flag.

Which command would be the best choice to provide the Windows name of a remote device at 192.168.1.6? A. ping 192.168.1.6 B. netstat -a 192.168.1.6 C. net use f: \\192.168.1.6 D. nbtstat -A 192.168.1.6 E. tracert 192.168.1.6

C. netdom /query The netdom command provides a way to manager an Active Directory domain from the command line.

Which command would be the best choice to view the Windows Activity Directory domain information for a device? A. netstat /query B. net /query C. netdom /query D. windomain /query E. nbtstat -query

A. chkdsk /f chkdsk can be used to check for logical errors with the /f option, and to perform both a logical error check and scan for bad drive sectors with /r.

Which command would check a hard drive file system for logical errors? A. chkdsk /f B. bootrec /fixmbr C. diskpart /fs D. format /f E. bootrec /fixboot

A. Document all cable and screw locations during disassembly Laptops contain many different screws, cables, and components, and many of the only fit into 1 place inside of a laptop case. It's important to always document cable & screw locations, and to organize the different components as a laptop is disassembled.

Which is a best practice when disassembling a laptop? A. Document all cable and screw locations during disassembly B. Keep track of small screws with a magnetic screwdriver C. Most internal components are interchangeable between laptop models D. A service manual isn't required for most laptops E. Most laptop internal components are already marked & labeled

A. Stop and restart the problematic app It's not unusual for an app to randomly freeze, so stopping and restarting is a common 1st step. If it continues to hang, look to update the app or to contact the developer for assistance.

Which is the 1st step when troubleshooting a mobile device app that has stopped responding but you can still control the device and use other applications? A. Stop and restart the problematic app B. Update the mobile device OS C. Contact the app developer for support D. Perform a factory reset E. Update the touchscreen drivers

C. DISKPART DISKPART can perform many disk-related tools, such as defining, formatting, and configuring partition parameters.

Which is the best choice for configuring a system boot partition? A. FORMAT B. SFC C. DISKPART D. BOOTREC E. DIR

D. Turn off the device and disconnect from a power source A swollen battery is a failure of the battery that contains a number hazardous materials. You shouldn't use the mobile device or try to open the battery container.

Which is the best course of action if a mobile device battery is swollen? A. Continue using the device, but do not use the charger B. Replace the battery at your earliest convenience C. Use your device in airplane mode only D. Turn off the device and disconnect from a power source E. Perform a factory reset

D. Use file recovery software to "undelete" the file Specialized file recovery software is capable of recovering deleted files from a storage device, even if the drive has been formatted or corrupted with malware.

Which is the best step after one of your users inadvertently deletes a file from their USB drive? A. Format the drive with the exFAT file system B. Run CHKDSK on the USB volume C. Connect the USB drive to another computer and run Windows Backup and Restore D. Use file recovery software to "undelete" the file

D. Make sure the CPU is seated securely It's not uncommon for parts to come loose during shipping, especially removable parts. Since reseating all the connections and adapter cards, it's almost always your best 1st step.

Which is the best step after receiving a computer in the mail but the PC beeps a few times and shows a black screen? (The beep code refers to a problem with the CPU) A. Confirm the CPU is receiving enough power by checking the power supply voltage setting B. Boot with the Windows installation CD and run the memory check C. Swap out the CPU and try starting the computer again D. Make sure the CPU is seated securely

B. POST test card A POST (Power On Self-Test) card plugs into an available expansion slot and displays diagnostic codes as a computer starts. Based on the code, you can troubleshoot startup issues and motherboard problems.

Which is the best tool for viewing motherboard diagnostic messages when your computer starts? A. Multimeter B. POST test card C. Power supply tester D. Loopback plug

D. Clean the print heads The inkjet print heads can become dirty, and those dirty heads affect every printed page. Many inkjet printers include an automated cleaning process that periodically runs, but you can also manually start the cleaning process.

Which is the best troubleshooting method for a USB-connected inkjet printer smearing text every line on every page printed, even from different applications? A. Check the physical cable connection B. Update the printer driver C. Increase the amount of printer memory D. Clean the print heads

C. Check the cable connection between the motherboard and the LCD The internal cable of a laptop can become worn or loose through the constant opening and closing of the LCD display. If the issue isn't related to software, the next step would be to check the physical connections between the system board and the LCD display.

Which is the best troubleshooting step for resolving a problem with flickering video on a laptop? A. Replace the LCD display B. Upgrade the laptop BIOS C. Check the cable connection between the motherboard and the LCD D. Upgrade your OS E. Replace the laptop power supply

C. Restart the Print Spooler service The Windows Print Spooler runs as a service, and a backup of jobs in the print queue may be related to a problem with the spooler. Restarting the service can correct many issues. Although restarting the computer will also restart the Print Spooler, a reboot is not the best way to accomplish such a simple task.

Which is the best way to clear the queue when one of your print jobs appears to be "stuck" in the print queue? A. Reboot the computer B. Upgrade the printer driver C. Restart the Print Spooler service D. Delete the existing jobs and print them again

B. Test with a multimeter One of the best ways to confirm power supply input and output values is to test the leads with a multimeter.

Which is the best way to determine if a laptop power adapter is providing the correct power output? A. Connect to a laptop and look for the charging indicator light B. Test with a multimeter C. Connect to a power source and check for heating D. Connect to a laptop and check Windows Device Manager

B. Use a hardware or software wireless analyzer A wireless analyzer can provide extensive information about all nearby wireless networks, their signal strength, security settings, and more.

Which is the best way to identify all of the wireless access points near your location? A. Walk around and perform a physical survey of the area B. Use a hardware or software wireless analyzer C. Try connecting to any open wireless network D. Use an AM radio to locate areas of frequency use E. Move your access point around the building until the signal strength is highest

A. The IP address of the remote computer and D. The route between your computer and the remote computer The tracert command traces the route through the network between your computer and the remote device. If you provide the name of a server on the command line, the tracert command will perform a DNS lookup and show both the name of the server and its resolved IP address as part of the trace output.

What 2 pieces of information can be obtained with the command >tracers server1.example.com while troubleshooting a remote computer called server1.example.com? A. The IP address of the remote computer B. The IP addresses of devices connected to the remote computer C. The IP and network adapter configuration of the remote computer D. The route between your computer and the remote computer

D. ipconfig The ipconfig utility provides many details about the IP configuration of your PC. With ipconfig, you can view your IP address, DHCP server address, and much more.

What command line utility can provide DNS configuration information? A. sfc B. chkdsk C. msconfig D. ipconfig

C. ipconfig The default gateway is the router used to send IP traffic to other IP subnets, and one of the fastest ways to display your IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway is with ipconfig.

What command line utility would be the easiest way to get your default gateway? A. msinfo B. dxdiag C. ipconfig D. regedit

A. ipconfig /flushdns The ipconfig command is used to manage local IP address information and to clear DNS cache settings.

What command would reset the local computer DNS cache? A. ipconfig /flushdns B. nslookup /resetdns C. ipconfig /release D. netstat /cleardns E. nbstat -flush

B. The DVD-RW drive is not connected to the new power supply During any work inside of a computer, it's common to miss a connection or to knock a connection loose during the process. You should always perform one last check of connections & cables before closing the system.

What is the most likely cause of a faulty DVD-RW after upgrading your power supply? Note: all other components are functional, and the voltages appear to be normal. A. The DVD-RW drive is incompatible with the new power supply B. The DVD-RW drive is not connected to the new power supply C. The new power supply is faulty D. The DVD-RW drive was damaged during the power supply installation

D. During the memory upgrade, the wireless antenna was dislodged The antenna of your laptop's wireless connection usually wraps around the inside of the case and connects to the wireless adapter with a small antenna connector. If this antenna connector is disconnected, the wireless link will be very weak or completely unusable.

What is the most likely cause of a much weaker wireless connection after upgrading your laptop's memory? A. During the memory upgrade, the wireless adapter was dislodged B. The upgraded memory is not compatible with your laptop C. The memory modules are faulty D. During the memory upgrade, the wireless antenna was dislodged

C. The tray selection in the printer driver is incorrect For multi-tray laser printers, the selection of the paper tray is almost always done from the printer driver. In most cases, the proper tray can be selected just prior to printing the document.

What is the most likely cause of a multi-layer laser printer printing everything on plain paper when trying to print letters on company letterhead? A. The printer driver is faulty B. The printer hardware is faulty C. The tray selection in the printer driver is incorrect D. The printer can't support printing on letterhead

B. The print driver is misconfigured If the print driver is configured with a manual feed instead of the paper tray, the printer will give an error when it tries to print and finds the manual feed slot empty. Changing the print driver to point to the correct paper source will resolve this issue.

What is the most likely cause of an inkjet printer saying it's out of paper, even though the tray is full? A. The print heads are dirty B. The print driver is misconfigured C. The print queue is corrupted D. The print cable is faulty

C. The photosensitive drum is damaged A scratch that extends around the length of the photosensitive drum will result in a thin dark line extending from the top to the bottom of every page. If the damage was not over the entire drum, you would see intermittent print problems that occur in regular intervals down the page.

What is the most likely cause of every page having a single black line from the top to the bottom of the page that's printed from a central networked laser printer? A. The corona wire is damaged B. The printer doesn't have enough memory to render the page C. The photosensitive drum is damaged D. The toner is low

D. Your printer driver is incorrect An incorrect printer driver can cause many problems with your printouts, especially incorrect characters printing on your output. In severe cases, the entire printout can be full of odd characters and "garbage."

What is the most likely cause of illegible printer output on a network printer, even when switching applications? A. Your network adapter is faulty B. Your applications are configured are configured incorrectly C. The printer interface is faulty D. Your printer driver is incorrect

C. The hard drive power cable has become disconnected If a hard drive can't be read, it will fail on startup, giving a message like "No Boot Device Available." From this point, you know that the POST process has completed, but there's no device available to start an OS.

What is the most likely cause of receiving the message "No Boot Device Available" after installing a new video card on a desktop? A. The video adapter isn't compatible with your computer B. The video memory is conflicting with the boot process C. The hard drive power cable has become disconnected D. The motherboard BIOS has failed

D. Check the availability of the server The ping command is commonly used to determine if a network connection to a device is operating properly. If everything is working, the remote device will send a reply to the ping request.

What is the purpose of pinging a server in your DMZ? A. Determine the number of hops between your workstation and the server B. Measure the bandwidth utilization between your workstation and the server C. Determine login permissions to the server in the DMZ D. Check the availability of the server

C. Multimeter A multimeter provides a number of useful features, including voltage and continuity measurements.

What kind of device can monitor power changes, check cable continuity, and determine if a fuse is blown? A. Circuit Tester B. Power Supply Tester C. Multimeter D. POST Diagnostic Card

B. Document the error description, technical information, and any filenames for additional online research The infamous "blue scree of death" Windows STOP error indicates that an error occurred that was so big, the OS couldn't continue. The problems are difficult to diagnose due to their scope: the problem could be related to physical hardware, drivers, OS library files, or bad application software.

What's the 1st step for troubleshooting when a user complains of their PC showing a blue error screen where diagnostic information is shown? A. Reboot the computer and revert to an earlier system configuration from a restore point B. Document the error description, technical information, and any filenames for additional research online research C. Turn off the computer and reseat all adapter cards and cables D. Restart the PC and run the PC manufacturer's hardware diagnostics

B. Run a diagnostics program from the hard drive manufacturer If you're troubleshooting hardware, especially hardware that might be under warranty, be sure to use a diagnostics application from the hardware manufacturer. If the hardware fails the test, the manufacturer will be much more likely to provide a warranty repair because their own application has identified an issue.

What's the best choice to address a possible malfunctioning hard drive on a new computer you've received? A. Download a 3rd-party LiveCD that contains hard drive diagnostics B. Run a diagnostics program from the hard drive manufacturer C. Start Windows in Safe Mode and use Disk Manager D. Reload Windows from the Windows Recovery Disk

B. Disable any advanced video features Some advanced features can slow down the display performance so that motion trails are displayed on the screen. Some video options enable motion trails as a specific video feature, so disabling all of these features can improve the overall response of the display.

What's the best method of correcting motion trials on the video of your new PC when objects move on the screen? A. Match the brand of monitor to the computer B. Disable any advanced video features C. Disable the onboard video and use an external video adapter D. Replace the monitor cable

A. Connect a multimeter to the power source Before you connect anything to an unknown power source, you should determine exactly what voltage is in the wall. The fastest and easiest way to determine the voltage is to connect a multimeter.

What's the best next step when not sure what voltage is in use while connecting a new server to a power source in a new data center? A. Connect a multimeter to the power source B. Configure your power supply for one voltage setting, and if it doesn't work, use the other setting C. Configure your BIOS to automatically adjust to the proper voltage D. Contact a licensed electrician to analyze the power source

E. Toggle the secondary monitor Fn keys If a laptop isn't automatically recognizing the external video device, you can manually switch between the video outputs with a set of Fn (function) keys on your laptop.

What's the best troubleshooting step after connecting your laptop to a conference room projector, but a presentation only displays on your laptop's LCD? A. Use a different cable between the laptop and projector B. Reboot the laptop and restart the projector C. Load the LCD projector device manager D. Use a different video output interface E. Toggle the secondary monitor Fn keys

A. Perform a factory reset of the mobile device If a mobile device is having a chronic freezing issue, you can try resolving the issue with a factory reset. If the problem persists, then the issue is most likely hardware-related.

What's the best troubleshooting step for a mobile device that completely freezes after a few minutes of use, even after the device restarts each time? A. Perform a factory reset of the mobile device B. Open the device and reseat the connectors C. Replace the battery D. Use the device in airplane mode E. Update the security certificates

E. Check the console logs The wait cursor indicates some type of hardware conflict or resource contention. You may be able to find more info on what's causing the problem in the console logs.

What's the best troubleshooting step when launching an app on your Mac and getting the OS X spinning wait cursor for ~5 seconds? A. Reinstall the OS B. Try running the app from a USB drive C. Upgrade the OS D. Reinstall the app E. Check the console logs

C. Change the printer tray option from the printer driver The control of your printer output is easiest to control from the printer driver on the computer. Most print drivers allow you to modify the number of copies, the print orientation, the printer tray, and many other options.

What's the best way to change your output to print from a different printer tray? A. Download a copy of the printer control panel software utility from the manufacturer's website B. Modify the default settings on the front of the printer C. Change the printer tray option from the printer driver D. Ask the manufacturer of your spreadsheet to modify the printing process to use the second tray

C. Use specialized software to measure component temperatures Your CPU and other components already include sensors to measure temperature, fan speed, and other metrics. Specialized software can provide instant feedback about the heating and cooling of your computer without opening the case.

What's the best way to check the temperature of your CPU while under load? A. Use a thermometer in the case with leads that connect to the CPU B. Measure the temperature of the air going into and out of the computer and compare the difference C. Use specialized software to measure component temperatures D. Use infrared thermometers to measure the CPU temperature from a distance

D. The airflow through the computer is blocked As the temperature inside your computer rises, the fans will compensate by running faster & longer. If the airflow is blocked or dust has accumulated on the vents, you'll find the cooling process isn't as efficient as it once was. Clearing the vents and cleaning the inside of the computer will cause the fan volume to decrease dramatically.

What's the most likely cause of an older computer's fan running more often and at higher rates of speed? A. All fans run faster as time goes on B. The internal temperature sensors are faulty C. The fan controller software is faulty D. The airflow through the computer is blocked

C. The LCD resolution is incorrect Every LCD display has a native resolution that provides clear and crisp output. If the resolution is set to a resolution other than the native resolution, the screen will appear a bit fuzzy or slightly blurry.

What's the most likely cause of everything being a little blurry on the LCD display of a newly purchased laptop? A. The video driver is faulty B. the LCD display is faulty C. The LCD resolution is incorrect D. The BIOS settings are incorrect

C. One of the intermediate Internet connections is down A traceroute timeout in about the 1st 3 hops might indicate a problem locally, and a timeout in the last 3 hops could indicate an issue at the remote site. Because the traceroute fails in the middle of 14 hops, the issue is most-likely related to an Internet provider in the middle of the data flow.

What's the most likely cause of having problems reaching one of your hosted web servers. The server had been previously reached in 14 hops, but today the traceroute is timing out after 7 hops. A. You have a problem with your local Internet connection. B. The Internet connection at your web hosting provider is down C. One of the intermediate Internet connections is down D. The local computer is not connected to the Internet

C. The print spooler is failing The print spooler is responsible for managing the printing process between the OS and the printer. If the print job is delayed or hung, then the spooler is probably your issue.

What's the most likely cause of none of your documents appearing on your inkjet printer, but they all start start printing the next day when starting your computer? A. The printer driver is corrupted B. The printer is running low on ink C. The print spooler is failing D. The printer jets are clogged E. The OS isn't configured with the correct printer model

Your DNS servers are faulty. If you can ping Google's DNS server, then your connection to the Internet is working properly. However, if your DNS server isn't converting your domain names to IP addresses, then your computer won't know the IP address of the web server and your computer won't even try to send traffic out to the Internet.

What's the most likely cause of not being able to browse www.google.com if your IP address is 192.168.1.5, your subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, your default gateway is 192.168.1.1, your domain servers are 10.2.2.1 and 10.2.2.2, and you can successfully ping your local IP address, default gateway, and Google's DNS server at 8.8.8.8?

C. The hard drive is faulty Since most of the PC is solid-state, there aren't many components inside that would make noise. The click-of-death is a well-known symptom of hard drive failure. The combo of hanging at boot time and clicking noise points to a hard drive problem.

What's the most likely cause of one of your PCs hanging in the middle of saving a large spreadsheet? (Note: when rebooting, the BIOS screen hangs and a clicking noise is heard from inside the PC) A. The power supply isn't providing enough power B. The video card is faulty C. The hard drive is faulty D. The memory has become disconnected from the motherboard E. A cooling fan is failing

B. The power supply is faulty The power supply is responsible for taking AC power from the wall outlet and sending different DC voltages to the motherboard and PC components. If a certain rail of voltage is incorrect, then the most likely cause of the issue is related to the power supply.

What's the most likely cause of the 12-volt pin showing 7 volts when using a multimeter to check the voltage from your power supply to your motherboard? (Note: the 5-volt pin is showing 5 volts) A. The motherboard power connector is faulty B. The power supply is faulty C. The wall outlet power source is faulty D. The BIOS is faulty

D. The laser printer is out of memory Before a laser printer can begin the printing process, it must "build" a representation of the output in the memory of the printer. Complex graphics take more memory than simple text files, and very complex images can cause a printer to run out of memory and output only part of the image.

What's the most likely cause of the top half of a printed blueprint showing but the bottom half being completely blank on a network laser printer? A. The network is faulty B. The laser printer is out of toner C. The blueprinting application is faulty D. The laser printer is out of memory

C. The POST has failed The Power On Self-Test is the initial hardware check that occurs when a system boots. If a serious error occurs, video is often not displayed and a set of beeps is provided by the BIOS as a diagnostics tool. By referencing the number and length of the beeps from the manufacturer's documentation, you can determine what part of the POST is failing.

What's the most likely cause of your PC displaying a black screen and beeping a few times when starting, after returning from a business trip? A. The monitor is not connected to the PC B. The network cable is disconnected C. The POST has failed D. The power supply has failed

A. the memory on the motherboard is the incorrect type If you start your computer and it beeps with no video, the BIOS check failed one of its self-checks. Since there's no video, the beeps are the only way to tell what's wrong. The motherboard documentation will have a list of beep codes. All the other options on this question would have had text on the screen due to being unrelated to the BIOS test.

What's the most likely cause of your PC producing a series of beeps and its screen staying blank after installing a new motherboard, plugging in all of the cables, and connecting power? A. The memory on the motherboard is the incorrect type B. Your OS isn't compatible with the new motherboard C. Your Windows video driver isn't compatible with the new motherboard D. The PC has a virus

C. The print job is a set of architectural blueprints Before a laser printer can print a single page, it must first construct the entire page in memory. If the page contains complex graphics, the printer memory can be exceeded before the page is fully constructed.

What's the most likely cause of your company's shared laser printer occasionally reporting an "out of memory" error? A. The print job exceeds 250 pages B. The printer is not designed to support multiple print jobs C. The print job is a set of architectural blueprints D. The printer is not designed to support shared network use

C. The memory modules are the incorrect type Memory modules may look very similar, but they consist of many different technical specifications. If your memory modules are the incorrect type, your computer may refuse to boot or it may boot and suffer from intermittent crashes and hangs.

What's the most likely cause of your computer beeping on startup and the screen remaining black after replacing 2 old 1 GB memory modules in your desktop with 2 new 2 GB memory modules? A. The memory module slots are damaged B. The motherboard doesn't support 2 GB modules C. The memory modules are the incorrect type D. The memory modules are designed for a laptop computer

C. SSID broadcasts are disabled When SSID broadcasts are disabled, the access point continues to operate normally but won't advertise itself to other nearby devices.

What's the most likely reason for the name of a network you're trying to connect to never appearing in your selection list? A. The access point is using MAC filtering B. The access point is temporarily full C. SSID broadcasts are disabled D. The wireless access point is not compatible with your mobile device

B. There is no signal on the Ethernet cable Status light indicators on Ethernet ports will generally light when any connection is made to another device, and another light will blink when traffic is seen on the wire. If there are no lights, then there's usually a cabling problem between the workstation and the network switch on the other end.

What's the most likely status of a network connection when installing a new gigabit Ethernet connection and when you plug in the network cable into your laptop, the status light indicators are dark? A. The DHCP server hasn't assigned an IP address B. There is no signal on the Ethernet cable C. The Ethernet link is running at 100 Mb/s instead of 1 Gb/s D. The primary DNS server isn't responding

C. Power off and unplug the computer With any power-related issue, you should immediately power off your computer and disconnect from a power source. A burning smell isn't normal, and something has been damaged inside the computer. For personal & data safety, completely remove the PC from any power.

What's the next step if during normal computer use you notice a burning smell but no visible smoke and the computer is running fine? A. Continue using the computer B. Run hardware diagnostics C. Power off and unplug the computer D. Immediately start a backup job

A. The properties page of the printer Printing directly from Windows can remove all issues that may be related to an application.

Where is one of the places you can find the "Print Test Page" button when wanting to print a test page to your printer directly from Windows? A. The Properties page of the printer B. The main page of Device Manager C. Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Computer Management D. There are no printer test pages built into Windows

A. Take pictures or video when disassembling a new system and C. Use containers to keep different components organized

Which 2 should be used during laptop disassembly? A. Take pictures or video when disassembling a new system B. Laptop displays are easier to troubleshoot when power is maintained C. Use containers to keep different components organized D. While the laptop is open & disassembled, consider updating as many internal components as possible E. ESD prevention normally used for desktop computers is not necessary for laptop devices

C. Multimeter and D. Cable tester The continuity check of a multimeter is useful for building a wire map, although it's much faster to use a cable tester's wire map feature.

Which 2 tools can be used to provide a wire map of an Ethernet patch cable? A. Loopback Plug B. Punch down Tool C. Multimeter D. Cable tester E. Toner probe

B. PING and D. TRACERT The PING utility uses the ICMP request and response functions to determine if a device is reachable. The TRACERT command takes advantage of ICMP Time to Live Exceeded messages to build a list of the hops through the network.

Which 2 tools use ICMP to provide their primary functions? A. NSLOOKUP B. PING C. NETSTAT D. TRACERT E. NBTSTAT

C. Magnifying glass and D. Anti-static mat Laptop and other mobile devices are relatively small and may require additional magnification to facilitate your work. It's also useful to minimize the chance of electrostatic discharge with the use of an anti-static mat & wristband.

Which 2 tools would most commonly be used when disassembling a mobile device? A. IC extractor B. RJ45 crimper C. Magnifying glass D. Anti-static mat E. Hex key F. Zip tie

A. Unnecessary wireless features are enabled and E. The mobile device is in an area of poor reception A mobile device battery can be quickly discharged if the radio is constantly searching for a signal or if there are wireless radios that are enabled unnecessarily.

Which are the 2 most likely cause of short battery life on a mobile device? A. Unnecessary wireless features are enabled B. Too many apps are installed on the mobile device C. The mobile device is located at or near sea level D. The laptop display screen is faulty E. The mobile device is in an area of poor reception

B. Powers the LCD backlight The fluorescent backlights for an LCD display require AC power, so the display inverter will convert the laptop's DC power to AC.

Which best describes a laptop inverter? A. Connects the laptop to the main power outlet B. Powers the LCD backlight C. Charges the Li-ion laptop batteries D. Must be discharged before working inside the laptop E. Required for USB power

D. You can only communicate to other devices on your local subnet APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) is used when a static IP address is not assigned and a DHCP server wasn't available to automatically assign an address. In these situations, an OS will use APIPA to automatically configure an address that can be used to communicate with other APIPA-configured devices on the same subnet. The usable host range of APIPA addresses is 169.254.1.1 - 169.254.254.254.

Which best describes the configuration when your laptop shows an address of 169.254.22.7? A. You've received an IP address via DHCP B. Your device is using a public IP address C. The router is using NAT for all of your Internet traffic D. You can only communicate to other devices on your local subnet

A. Measure and provide additional power on connections with low voltage A multimeter does a great job of measuring voltage, but can't provide any additional power.

Which can't be done with a typical multimeter? A. Measure and provide additional power on connections with low voltage B. Check the output of a power supply for the correct voltage C. Confirm that a cable has continuity from one end to the other D. Determine if a fuse has blown

NET USE command can be used at the command line to connect to a shared resource.

Which command can can be used to connect to a network share? A. NET CONNECT B. SHARE USE C. SHARE CONNECT D. NET USE

A. ipconfig /all The ipconfig command provides a summary of your configuration details, and the /all option expands the view to include MAC address info, DHCP details, DNS configurations, and much more.

Which command line would provide the MAC address of a network adapter? A. ipconfig /all B. ipconfig /renew C. ipconfig /verbose D. ipconfig /mac

C. net view \\naquadah The "net view" command allows you to view available shares from the command line.

Which command will show you the share names from your Windows 7 desktop, when wanting to access a public share on your NAQUADAH server? A. net share \\naquadah B. net use \\naquadah C. net view \\naquadah D. net start \\naquadah

B. Set the multimeter for DC, place 1 probe on a ground pin and the other on the voltage pin to be measured The proper way to measure voltage is to choose a ground pin with 1 probe of the multimeter and the voltage pin with the other probe. Your multimeter will complete the circuit and display the voltage that flows through it. Since you're measuring DC voltages on the motherboard, you'll want to make sure the multimeter is to set to show DC voltages.

Which is the best way to measure the voltage of a motherboard power rail with a multimeter? A. Set the multimeter to AC and check the voltage at the wall power source B. Set the multimeter for DC, place 1 probe on a ground pin and the other on the voltage pin to be measured C. Set the multimeter for AC, place 1 probe on the negative voltage pin and the other on the positive pin to be measured D. Set the multimeter for DC, place 1 probe on the negative voltage pin and the other on the positive voltage pin to be measured

B. Use a multimeter to verify the data center power and check the server manual to verify any manual voltage switches The power input to a server must match the settings of the power supply. Although many power supplies are auto-switching, you can't assume that a power supply will adjust to any input. Always check your manuals and verify your power source before connecting a new piece of equipment.

Which is the best way to proceed when installing a new server into a large data center, but not being provided any power information about the data center or the server? A. Plug in the data center power to the computer. All modern power supplies are auto-switching and will adjust to the input B. Use a multimeter to verify the data center power and check the server manual to verify any manual voltage switches C. Use a multimeter to verify that the data center power is 115V or 230V. If it is, connect the server and power on normally D. Connect a surge suppressor to the data center power to regulate the flow to the server

A. Reconfigure and reboot the 2 conflicting devices An IP address conflict is a significant issue. It's best handled by identifying the 2 devices that have the conflict and reconfiguring them with the correct dynamic or manual IP address configuration.

Which is the best way to resolve an IP address conflict? A. Reconfigure and reboot the 2 conflicting devices B. Restart the DHCP server C. Assign a manual IP address on all network devices D. Split the network into 2 separate IP subnets E. Configure your network switch for VLAN trunking

B. Connect to an expansion slot with a POST test card A POST test card can provide you with detailed diagnostic info during the motherboard startup process.

Which is the best way to troubleshoot startup errors on a motherboard? A. Check for continuity with a multimeter B. Connect to an expansion slot with a POST test card C. Use a loopback plug on the Ethernet port D. Confirm the storage device voltage levels with a power supply tester E. Run diagnostics from the Windows Control Panel

C. The toner cartridge is faulty If the printer's mechanical operation is working normally, then the problem must be with the internal printing process of the laser printer. A completely blank page could certainly be related to a problem with a corona wire, but the more common issue is because the laser printer cartridge is faulty or completely empty of toner.

Which is the most likely cause of all printer output in an Accounting Department being completely blank? (Nothing appears to be written on any pages) A. The fuser is faulty B. The print drivers are incorrect C. The toner cartridge is faulty D. The printer doesn't have enough memory

C. The system isn't cooling properly If a PC is running normally except for abrupt shutdowns, then your environment should be one of the 1st things to check. A system with dust-filled or blocked vents will heat up quickly, and a system that runs too hot will often shut itself down as a self-protection mechanism.

Which is the most likely cause of an old PC suffering from shutdown problems, increasing in frequency, after starting to use graphically intensive software? A. The newest security patches are conflicting with the software B. The software is designed for newer OSs C. The system is not cooling properly D. The graphics drivers are old and need to be updated

B. A configured wireless channel is conflicting with another nearby access point The wireless frequency ranges are relatively small, so it's important to be sure that your wireless access point isn't using the same channels and frequencies as another access point.

Which is the most likely cause of poor performance on a wireless network? A. The Ethernet connection to an access point is configured for half-duplex B. A configured wireless channel is conflicting with another nearby access point C. Your wireless adapter needs a device driver update D. Your devices are positioned too close to the access point

C. The hard drive is faulty If your boot device isn't available, then something has gone drastically wrong with your hard drive.

Which is the most likely cause of receiving "Boot device not available" when rebooting your computer after it froze without an error message? A. The hard drive is fragmented B. The BIOS configuration is incorrect C. The hard drive is faulty D. The video driver is corrupted

E. The monitor has stuck pixels A stuck pixel always displays one color instead of the correct pixel color.

Which is the most likely cause of red pixels on an LCD monitor? A. The monitor is not receiving enough power B. The monitor cable connection is faulty C. The monitor refresh rate is incorrect D. The device drivers are not properly installed E. The monitor has stuck pixels

D. Duplex mismatch 2 devices communicating to each other with a mismatched duplex will connect and allow data to transfer, but you'll find that the data transfer rates will be much lower than expected.

Which is the most likely cause of slow transfer speeds? A. Incorrect SSID B. Device is assigned an APIPA address C. Incorrect gateway configuration D. Duplex mismatch E. Device is assigned an RFC 1918 address

C. Change display resolution to match the native values An LCD display is designed to show info at a native resolution. When the resolution of the OS doesn't match the native, text/graphics appear blurry.

Which is the most likely fix for a customer's laptop screen displaying blurry text and graphics? A. Upgrade the video drivers to the latest version B. Use the Fn key to toggle between internal and external display C. Change display resolution to match the native values D. Replace the laptop power supply