3.14.3 Cooling Practice Questions

Has a fan attached to the heat sink.

Active heat sink

Used for cooling CPUs

Active heat sink

Used for cooling high-end video cards.

Active heat sink.

Explanation

Active heat sinks have an attached fan that helps cool off the component at a faster rate. Active heat sinks are used with the following components: CPUs High-end video cards Passive heat sinks do have a fan and instead rely on increased surface area and passive air movement to cool the component. Passive heat sinks are used with the following components: Lpw-end video cards. Memory modules. ATX power supplies aid in cooling by exhausting hot air out the back of the case. Liquid cooling systems are used when air cooling is not sufficient. Because liquid cooling can dissipate heat much faster than air cooling, it is primarily used for high-end gaming computers and high- performance systems. Case fans create a pressurized system that allows air to flow through the case in a specific way.

Where should the thermal paste go when installing a processor?

Between the heat sink and CPU Explanation Thermal paste or a thermal pad is found between the heat sink and the CPU. The thermal paste helps to make a good contact between the CPU and the heat sink so that heat can move between the two. Processors require some form of heat dissipation system to function properly. Without a heat dissipation system, a processor will overheat and burn out in less than a minute. Most modern CPUs require a heat sink and a fan.

To which of the following objects should objects should thermal paste be applied?

CPU Explanation Thermal paste should be applied to the CPU such that it will facilitate heat dissipation from the CPU to the heat sink. The thermal paste helps create a good contact between the CPU and the heat sink so that heat can move between the two. Processors require some form of heat dissipation system to function properly. Without a heat dissipation system, a processor will overheat and burn out in less than a minute. Most modern CPUs require a heat sink and a fan.

What is the correct order for installing a processor for proper cooling?

CPU, thermal paste, heat sink, fan. Explanation The following is the correct order for applying devices a processor: CPU Thermal paste Heat sink Fan

Which of the following will ensure optimal system cooling?

Keep the ambient temperature below 80 degree Fahrenheit. Bundle cables together and secure usused cables to the case. Leave space between the case and any walls or obstructions. Explanation Consider the following recommendations to ensure optimal system cooling: Keep the case free of dust and debris. Excess dust can restrict air flow and prevent proper heat transfer. Reduce the number of airflow obstructions. Employ proper cable management (e.g., bundle cables together and secure unused cables to the case). Space out multiple hard disk drives instead of stacking them next to each other. Maintain appropriate ambient temperatures. Optimal ambient temperatures are between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure proper ventilation; leave space between the computer and any walls or desks. Preserve negative pressure inside the case by keeping all covers and shields installed (e.g., unused expansion cards, I/O shield, front drive bays).

Used for cooling high-end gaming computers.

Liquid cooling

Used for cooling high-performance systems

Liquid cooling

You have just finished upgrading the CPU in your desktop system. After running the system for about 10 minutes, the system locks up and automatically restarts. Which should you do first to troubleshoot the problem?

Make sure the heat sink is properly mounted and has thermal paste. Check the CPU fan power. Explanation System lockups and restarts can be caused by several problems, including an overheated processor. Because the CPU has just been replaced, this the most likely cause of the problem. First, you should make sure the CPU fan is running. After that, you should check if the heat sink is properly mounted and has thermal between it and the CPU.

Which of the following characteristics accurately describe passive heat sinks?

More reliable than active heat sinks. Explanation Passive heat sinks do not have a fan and instead rely on increased surface area and passive air movement to cool the component. Because they do not use a fan, passive heat sinks are 100% reliable. Passive heat sinks are used with the following components: Most motherboard chipsets. Low-end video cards. Memory modules (heat sinks on memory modules are also called heat spreaders) Active heat sinks use a fan and are able to cool components much faster and more efficiently than passive heat sinks. Liquid-based cooling systems use cooling plates and thermal liquid to dissipate heat from components.

Which of the following would most likely cause random system lockups?

Overheated processor Explanation An overheated processor is the most likely cause of random system lockups A loose monitor cable will only affect the display and cause the image to cut or distort. A faulty mouse or keyboard only causes problems with user input. A failing network adapter will cause networking issues, such as Internet connection loss, but the system will still be able to run.

Has no fan attached to the heat sink

Passive heat sink

Which of the following thermal solutions might you find on memory modules?

Passive heat sink Explanation Memory modules use passive heat sinks (also called heat spreaders). They do not have a fan because they rely on increased surface and passive air movement to cool them. Surface area dissipation is a generic term for cooling used by both active and passive cooling systems. Active heat sinks are used by components that generate more heat, such as CPUs, high-end video cards, and some motherboard chipsets with integrated graphics. Liquid cooling systems are used when air cooling is not sufficient. Liquid based cooling systems are composed of tubes, cooling plates, a reservoir, and a radiator; they are primarily used for high-end gaming computers and high-performance systems.

Used for cooling memory modules

Passive heat sink.

Exhausts hot air out of the back of the case.

Power supply.

Which of the following accurately describes case fans?

Pull cool air from the front and blow hot air out the back. Create a pressurized system inside the case. Explanation Case fans create a pressurized system that allows air to flow through the case in a specific way. Intake fans (at the front) pull air inside the case to cool components. Outtake fans (at the back and top) exhaust warm air from inside the case. Because all computers generate heat, case fans are necessary on even basic computers to properly dissipate heat and prevent overheating issues, Even though intake case fans will pull in dust and debris, having all the case fans exhaust air would be extremely inefficient and could cause overheating issues. Case fan filters can be installed if dust and debris is an issue.

Which of the following actions is not recommended for keeping you computer cool?

Remove unused expansion card slot covers. Explanation Do not remove unused expansion slot covers from a system case. The system case is a pressurized system, with carefully designed airflow that directs outside air across components and out of the case. When you remove the system cover or expansion card covers, you modify the airflow path, which typically reduces the cooling effectiveness of the system fans.

You have a system that has been overheating. Which of the following actions will not help to keep the system cool?

Removing the case side panel. Explanation Removing the case side panel will not keep a system from overheating. The system case has been specially designed to maximize air flow across system components. By removing the side panel, you modify the air flow path and reduce its effectiveness. In addition, removing the side panel allows more dust to accumulate. Dust acts as an insulator and traps heat close to components. Cleaning off the inside of the computer case, installing heat spreaders and heat sinks on internal components, installing a water cooling system, and adding thermal paste or a thermal pad between the CPU and the heat sink are all good ways to help keep a system cool.

You have a system that has been overheating and shutting off. Which of the following actions will not help to keep the system cool?

Removing the side panel from case. Explanation Removing the side panel from case will not keep a system from overheating. Computer cases are designed to maximize air flow across system components by creating negative pressure inside the case. If you remove the side panel, the negative pressure system is disrupted and pockets of stagnant hot air are created. Removing the side panel also allows more dust and debris to accumulate on components. Cleaning the inside of the computer case, installing heat spreader on memory modules, switching to a liquid-based cooling system, and mounting the hard drives further apart are all good ways to help keep a system cool.

Which of the following processor features is used to dynamically reduce power consumption based on current operating conditions?

Throttling Throttling modifies the operating characteristics of a processor based on current conditions. Overclocking a feature offered on special motherboards that causes the processor to operate at a higher speed. A multi- core processor has multiple processor cores integrated into a single processor package. Hyper-threading is a feature of some Intel processors that allows the CPU to process threads in parallel. Caching, when used to describe processors, is a temporary storage area for data that is waiting for the processor.