A+ Certification
By placing machine language commands- called lines of code- onto the external data bus one at a time...
You can instruct the Man in the Box to do specific tasks.
When you build out a computer space, such as a server closet, use standard...
When you build out a computer space, such as a server closet, use standard carpentry safety techniques. Wear an air filter mask when cutting drywall, for example. Wear safety goggles when using power tools.
Microarchitecture
Whenever a company comes up with a major new design, especially in the context of Intel or AMD CPUs.
With pipelining, each stage within the CPU does its job...
With each clock-cycle pulse, creating a much more efficient process.
Desktop
What the background on Windows 7 is referred to as.
Pipeline Stall
When a stage hits a complex command that requires more than one clock cycle, forcing the pipeline to stop. Your CPU tries to avoid this.
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
"The Man in the Box". It crunches numbers many millions of times per second.
Aside from the three stages of the computing process, modern computing devices almost always have two other stages:
1. Data Storage 2. Network Connection
A modern computer consists of three major components:
1. Hardware 2. Operating System 3. Applications
Troubleshooting Methodology
1. Identify the problem 2. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious) 3. Test the theory to determine cause 4. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution 5. Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventative measures 6. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
Stages of the Computing Process
1. Input 2. Processing 3. Output
Nine steps that apply to most computers and computing devices when you want to get something done:
1. Power up 2. Processing parts prepare for action 3. You provide input 4. Processing parts process your command 5. Processing parts send output information to your output devices. 6. Output devices show or play the results to you. 7. Repeat steps 3-6 until you're satisfied with the outcome. 8. Save your work. 9. Power down the computer.
How many bits across is each row in a RAM "spreadsheet"?
8 bits across.
Clock Wire (CLK)
A charge on the CLK wire tells the CPU that another piece of information is waiting to be processed.
Electromagnet Interference (EMI)
A magnetic field interfering with electronics is electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Network Connection
A network connection often describes how one computer connects to one or more other computers.
Names of the four most common registers (Intel named them):
AX, BX, CX, and DX
Processing
After input, the parts inside the device or case take over as the operating system tells the hardware to do what you've requested, which is processing.
Always disconnect...
Always disconnect power before repairing a personal computing device.
Always put components...
Always put components in an antistatic bag, not on the bag.
Address Space
Amount of RAM a CPU can handle given the amount of address bus wires.
What kind of programs populate the Control Panel?
Applets populate the Control Panel.
Each cell within a ram "spreadsheet" is called a..
Bit
Windows 10 supports multiple desktops with Task View..
But you won't find support for that feature in earlier versions of Windows.
32-bit programs are installed into which folder by default in a 64-bit edition of Windows?
By default, 32-bit applications install into the C:\Program Files (x86) folder.
C:\Program Files (All Versions)
By default, most programs install some or all of their essential files into a sub folder of the Program Files folder. An installed program should have its own folder in here.
Each row of 8 bits is called a...
Byte.
RAM transfers and stores data to and from the..
CPU in byte-sized chunks.
You can get to the Terminal in Linux by pressing...
CTRL-ALT-T
To access System Preferences in macOS...
Click the Apple icon and select System Preferences from the permanent Apple menu to open the app.
To access other system utilities in GNOME 3, click...
Click the activities button on the far left of the menu bar. From there you can search for the utility from the box at the top. This will open a menu showing all installed applications, and within this list is a folder for Utilities.
To access the All Settings application in GNOME 3, which is the first launch point for techs,...
Click the down arrow icon on the far right of the menu bar and select the wrench and screwdriver icon.
For the CPU to process a command placed on the EDB, a certain minimum voltage must be applied to the CLK wire. A single charge to the CLK wire is called a...
Clock cycle.
Computers use what for the main system memory?
Computers use dynamic RAM (DRAM) for the main system memory. DRAM needs both a constant electrical charge and a periodic refresh of the circuits; otherwise, it loses data, which is what makes it dynamic rather than static in content.
Operating System
Controls the hardware and enables you to tell the computer what to do.
The dir command-line utility..
Displays all files/folders in a specific directory.
The drive or disc gets some designation, most usually called a...
Drive Letter, like "C:"
Applications (also called programs)
Enable you to do specialized tasks on a computer, such as type a letter, send a message, wander through imaginary worlds.
Which macOS feature is functionally equivalent to Windows File Explorer?
Finder is the macOS equivalent of File Explorer.
The special circuitry within a CPU to handle complex numbers is called the..
Floating Point Unit (FPU)
Four most common registers within a CPU are called:
General-purpose registers.
As heat nears levels that could damage a CPU, especially a CPU designed for a mobile phone, the CPU in question will engage in...
Heat throttling.
In the system tools menu, you'd find...
In the system tools menu, you'd find commonly accessed tools such as System information and Disk Defragmenter.
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) (or Integer Unit) within the CPU handles..
Integer math. Basic math for numbers with no decimal point. For example, 2+3=5 is an example of integer math. The typical CPU spends most of its work doing this.
Registers within a CPU store...
Internal commands and data.
When using Control Panel with the CompTIA A+ 1002 exam, the exam assumes that you have the Control Panel's display set to..
It assumes you have the Control Panel's display set to Classic View with large icons.
If a program has an "if" statement, it is know as a what by CPU makers?
It is known as a branch.
What kind of environment is static electricity, and therefore the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD), much more common in?
It's more common in dry, cool environments.
What KDE (KDE Plasma Desktop) feature is essentially the Start button?
Kickoff.
Commands given to the microprocessor in binary card are called...
Machine language.
General Computing Device
Machines that can do all sorts of things
Data Storage:
Means saving a permanent copy of your work so that you can come back to it later.
Devices that in any way hold ones or zeros that the CPU accesses are known generically as..
Memory.
The central processing unit (CPU) is also called a...
Microprocessor
Which Windows 8 feature did Microsoft not include in Windows 10?
Microsoft did not include the Charms bar in Windows 10.
Which version of Windows introduced the Metro UI?
Microsoft introduced Metro UI with Windows 8.
To open the "dir command-line utility"..
Once at command prompt, type dir and press enter.
Output
Once the computer has processed your request, it shows you the result by changing what you see on the display or playing a sound through the speakers, which is output.
Each cell in the RAM "spreadsheet" can store...
Only a one or a zero.
Modern CPUs can process multiple commands and parts of commands in parallel, known as..
Parallel execution.
Wait States are..
Pipeline stalls that happen because the RAM can't keep up with the CPU.
Mission Control Button MAC
Pressing the mission control button on an Apple keyboard brings up a utility called "mission control", that enables you to switch between open applications, windows, and more.
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
Radio frequencies that create noise that interferes with information being transmitted across unshielded copper cabling.
CPU Throttling
Saving energy by making the CPU run more slowly when demand is light is generically referred to as throttling.
Program:
Series of commands sent to a CPU in a specific order for the CPU to perform work.
Address Bus
Set of wires used by the CPU to communicate with the MCC to tell it what line of code it needs from the RAM.
In Windows 8 and beyond, Administrative Tools enables you to...
Set up hard drives, manage devices, test system performance, and much more.
The notification area...
Shows programs running in the background. Many texts also call it the system tray.
The Man in the Box can communicate with the world via the external data bus. He has four registers he can use to work on the problems you give him and he has a codebook - the instruction set - so...
So that he can understand the different patterns (machine language commands) on the external data bus.
What macOS feature is essentially multiple desktops?
Spaces.
The Control Panel handles...
The Control Panel handles most of the maintenance, upgrade, and configuration aspects of Windows.
The three tech launch points in Windows 7 are...
The Control Panel, System Tools, and the Command-Line Interface.
To access System Tools in Windows 7, go to..
Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools
A type of high-speed RAM that comes built in to CPUs to reduce wait states is called..
Static RAM (SRAM). The SRAM preloads as many instructions as possible and keeps copies of already run instructions and data in case the CPU needs to work on them again. SRAM used in this fashion is called a cache.
What feature of macOS is the equivalent of the command-line interface in Windows?
Terminal is the macOS equivalent of the Windows command-line Interface.
An essential tool in Linux for techs is the command line, called..
Terminal.
C:\Program Files (x86)
The 64-bit editions of Windows create two directory structures for program files. The 64-bit applications go into the C:\Program Files folder, whereas the 32 but applications go into the C:\Program Files (x86) folder. The separation makes it easy to find the proper version of whatever application you seek.
By storing programs on RAM..
The CPU can access and run them very quickly. RAM also stores any data that the CPU actively uses.
The two key launch points for techs within macOS are...
The System Preferences app and the Utilities folder.
Memory Controller Chip (MCC):
The MCC contains special circuitry so it can grab the contents of any line of RAM and place that data or command on the EDB. This in turn enables the CPU to act on that code.
Where is the operating system installed?
The Root Directory
What Windows app in Windows 10 combines many utilities into a unified tool?
The Settings app in Windows 10 offers many utilities in a unified interface.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
The UI that offers images or icons to select (as opposed to making you type commands).
Clock Speed:
The clock speed is the fastest speed at which a CPU can operate, determined by the CPU manufacturer.
The user Mike has downloaded files with his Web browser. Where will they be stored by default?
The default download location in Windows is C:\Users\<user name>\Downloads
External Data Bus (EDB)
The external data bus (also known as the external bus or simply data bus) is the primary route for data in a PC. All data-handling components or optional data devices are connected to it; therefore, any information (code) placed on that bus is available to all devices connected to the computer.
File Association
The pairing of an application file with the file extension.
Hardware
The physical stuff that you can touch or hold in your hand.
User Interface (UI)
The software parts with which you can interact.
The system crystal determines...
The speed at which a CPU and the rest of the PC operate. The system crystal is usually a quartz oscillator, very similar to the one in a wristwatch, soldered to a motherboard.
The industry describes how much heat a busy CPU generates with a figure (measured in watts) called its...
Thermal Design Power (TDP). The TDP can give you a rough idea of how much energy a CPU draws and what kind of cooling it will need. It can also help you select more efficient CPUs.
When the edges of applications show blurred background image..
They're demonstrating transparency. This feature is called Aero or Aero Glass.
Programs broken down into little pieces are called...
Threads.
To access the Command Line..
To access the Command Line, click the Start button, type "cmd" in the Search text box, and press the enter key.
What is one path that would open Administrative Tools in Windows 8.1?
To open Administrative Tools, right-click the Start button and select Administrative Tools.
To search for tech utilized in KDE Plasma Desktops...
Use the "kickoff" menu (looks similar to the start menu) on the far left of the panel. You can search for a needed utility within the kickoff menu or select the applications tab at the bottom. From there, most sisters have a Utilities or Systems menu that holds all the key System configuration and maintenance applications.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Usually a single, thin wafer of silicon and tiny transistors. The CPU handles the majority of the processing tasks and is, in a way, the "brain" of the computer.
Running more than one operating system at a time is called..
Virtualization.
Input
You start the action by doing something—clicking the mouse, typing on the keyboard, or touching the touch screen, which is input.
To access the Utilities folder on macOS...
have the Finder in focus, click "Go" on the menu bar and select "Utilities". ALTERNATIVELY: use the hot key combination: command-shift-U
