12.7.8 Practice Questions
Joe, a frequent visitor to a branch office, attempts to connect his tablet to the office wireless network, but is unable to connect to the internet, even though he has verified that the SSID and password are correct. Joe attempts to connect to a coworker's hotspot, but is still unable to connect to the internet. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?
> Airplane Mode has been set on his tablet. Explanation: When a mobile device has no wireless connectivity, the most frequent reason is that Airplane Mode has been set on the device. The tablet could not connect to the internet from either the office wireless access point or from a coworker's hotspot. This indicates a problem with the tablet, not a problem with the branch office network. The tablet would not be able to connect to the branch office wireless network if MAC filtering was enabled and the tablet was not on the approved list. If the tablet was on the approved list, MAC filtering would not affect internet connectivity. While full device encryption may affect a tablet's performance, it does not affect internet connectivity.
One of your users suspects that the battery in their laptop computer is failing. You test it by using a known good power adapter long enough to receive a full charge. The battery reads that it is fully charged in Windows. You then disconnect the laptop from its power source and wait to see how long the battery lasts. The battery dies after only about 15 minutes. Which of the following actions will MOST likely fix this problem?
> Assume that the battery is failing and replace it. Explanation: Most laptop batteries only last 1 to 3 years. When the batteries can't hold a charge for more than a few minutes, you can safely assume that it's time to replace the battery. While configuring the Power Scheme settings, calibrating the battery, and placing the battery in another laptop are all valid troubleshooting steps, they will not fix the problem, as the battery itself is failing to hold a charge.
Lately, your laptop shuts down before it reaches the 5% set in your Windows Power Scheme. You suspect that the power meter is incorrectly reporting the battery power level. You want to calibrate the battery to synchronize the power meter to the actual battery charge capacity. However, the laptop system does not include a calibration tool. You decide to perform a manual calibration. Which of the following is the first step you need to take when manually calibrating the battery?
> Charge the battery to 100%. Explanation: The first step in performing a manual calibration is to charge the battery to 100%. Because you might not be able to trust the power meter that shows in Windows, be sure to allow sufficient charging time. Once the battery is charged to 100%, you then change the power settings so that the system does not shut down the laptop automatically. You follow this by unplugging the laptop and running the power down to a level below 3%. Replacing the current battery with a known good one does not help calibrate the current battery power meter with the actual battery charge capacity.
Joe has been issued a company-owned tablet. He finds that the performance decreases after a few hours of use. After he power-cycles the tablet, performance returns, but the tablet begins to slow again after an hour of use. Which of the following is the BEST action to troubleshoot the problem?
> Check the number of apps that are running. Explanation: Each running app consumes tablet resources, such as memory and CPU. Multiple apps contending for scarce resources may cause poor performance. All mobile devices provide the user the ability to either close all running apps or stop them selectively. Resetting the tablet to factory defaults removes all installed apps and data. Use this action only as a last resort. Replacing the tablet battery will not likely improve performance, especially if the tablet was connected to an external power source. Disabling wireless networking is an action often taken when troubleshooting performance, but is not the best action in this scenario.
Which of the following is the surest way to prevent the loss of important information on your mobile device if it is lost, stolen, destroyed, or there is a natural disaster?
> Configure your device to remotely back up important data to the cloud. Explanation: The surest way to prevent the loss of important information on your mobile device is to configure your device to remotely back up important data to the cloud. Backing up data to your personal computer is not a bad idea, but if there is a natural disaster, your data is safer in the cloud than on a single machine that could be damaged in the same disaster that affects your mobile device. Not putting important information on your mobile device is a practical impossibility, as is only using apps that store data (like messages in Gmail) on the app provider's serve
You have recently purchased a gaming laptop and want to make sure that it is properly ventilated to avoid overheating. Which of the following is the BEST way to avoid overheating the laptop (especially when gaming for hours)?
> Purchase a special laptop cooling base. Explanation: The best way to keep a laptop properly ventilated is to purchase a special laptop cooling base that provides fans for the bottom of the unit. This is especially true of laptops that are designed for high-performance use, such as a gaming laptop. If a special laptop cooling base is not available, the next best options are to make sure that all vents are clear and unobstructed, and that you set the laptop on a hard, solid surface. You can also try configuring your Power Options to reduce power consumption.
You are troubleshooting a laptop system that uses a digitizer pad and stylus for user input. The user has complained that tapping the stylus on the digitizer pad taps about one inch to the right of where the taps actually occur. Which of the following actions would MOST likely fix this issue?
> Recalibrate the digitizer pad. Explanation: To fix this problem, you need to recalibrate the digitizer pad. Over time, digitizer pads on laptops can develop drift. You can fix this issue by running a recalibration program, which is usually included with the pad. Replacing the digitizer pad or the stylus are not the first or most likely troubleshooting steps that can fix the issue. The same is true of holding the stylus at an increased angle.
You are troubleshooting a malfunctioning laptop computer system. The customer has indicated that the screen is always dark and difficult to read, even while the system is plugged into a wall outlet. You checked the system and determine that the backlight isn't working. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?
> The LCD cutoff switch is stuck in the Off position. Explanation: It is possible that the notebook's LCD cutoff switch is stuck in the Off position. The cutoff switch is used to shut off the backlight (and sometimes the video display itself) when the notebook lid is closed. Press and release the cutoff switch to determine if this is actually the problem. Because the problem exists when the laptop is plugged in, you know the problem is not related to the battery or the AC adapter. If the backlight isn't working, it is probably not an issue with the video adapter.
Your laptop's LCD screen is beginning to flicker and dim. You have checked the brightness setting to make sure that it is configured correctly. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of your screen issue?
> The LCD screen inverter is failing. Explanation: The most likely cause of your dimness and flickering is a failing LCD screen inverter. The inverter is a small electronic component that is used to power the LCD backlight. If the inverter fails or is failing, the backlight may flicker or go off, similar to a fluorescent bulb. If the LCD screen is failing, the system is configured to use an external display port, or the video ribbon cable is disconnected, you will most likely see a blank screen instead of flickering.
An employee in the sales department cannot get his laptop to display through a projector. He sees the screen output on the built-in laptop display, but the video is not being displayed through the projector. Which of the following steps would be BEST to try first?
> Use the fn key to redirect display to the external video port. Explanation: The best first step would be to toggle the display setting with the fn key. Most laptops offer several display choices, such as PC screen only, Second screen only, Duplicate (both screens), and Extend (both screens). The most likely culprit in this scenario is that the display has been toggled to PC screen only, so choosing either of the other two settings should allow the user to see the display on the projector. Upgrading the video card, replacing the display, or checking the backlight settings are not necessary, as the video shows properly on the internal laptop display. Adding RAM to a video card would not solve the issue of the image not being displayed through the projector.
