B.2.5 CompTIA A+ 220-1101 (Core 1) Domain 5: Hardware and Network Troubleshooting

The contrast on your projector's output is not displaying properly. In addition, the images continually flicker. What is the MOST likely cause of the projector's display problems?

A bulb is close to burning out. Explanation A bulb on the verge of burning out can cause a projector's screen contrast to display incorrectly and induce flickering.

The stapler cartridge in your printer is jammed. After removing the cartridge, what is the NEXT step to resolve the issue?

Carefully remove any staples lodged in the opening. Explanation After removing the stapler cartridge from its slot, carefully remove any staples lodged in the opening. You should not try to pry or bend any staples lodged in the opening. Before replacing a stapler cartridge or reinserting the stapler cartridge, you should try carefully removing any staples lodged in the opening.

You've just purchased 10 new notebook computers for your users. You are concerned that users will leave the notebooks on for long periods of time, which could result in display burn-in. What should you do to prevent this from happening?

Configure a screen saver on each computer. Explanation Burn-in can happen when the same image is displayed on the screen for an extended period of time. The best way to prevent this from happening is to configure a screen saver on each computer.

After several new computers are connected to a network device, every computer connected to the device begins to experience slow transfer speeds. Which of the following is the FIRST step to troubleshoot this problem?

Determine whether the network device is a hub or a switch. Explanation When troubleshooting slow speeds, you need to first determine which device is running slowly (such as a hub or switch). If a specific resource is experiencing slow speeds, you need to focus your efforts on that resource. The problem is unlikely to be a bad port on the network device, which would only affect one computer. If the problem is a bad NIC, already knowing whether the network device is a hub or switch would help isolate the problem. A bad cable would only affect the computer that it was connected to, but all computers are experiencing slow transfer speeds in this scenario.

A user reports that the projector in the conference room has display issues when it is connected to his laptop. After identifying the cause and completely resolving the issue, the projector displays the images perfectly both on his laptop and on the projector. Which of the following troubleshooting strategies should you perform next?

Document the solution. Explanation You've identified the problem, completed and tested the task, and verified full system functionality. You should now document the solution so if the same display issue returns, you or your replacement will know what to do.

After removing the printed paper from your laser printer, the toner smudges and can be wiped off in places. Which of the following printer components is MOST likely causing the problem?

Fuser rollers Explanation Because the fuser rollers heat and press the entire paper, dirty fuser rollers are the most likely problem. The other components do not touch the paper directly and would not cause a problem with fusing the toner to the page.

A user has created a complex spreadsheet on her workstation containing many graphs and charts. She sent the document to an older network laser printer that is shared by everyone in her department. When she picks up the print job, only the top half of each page is printed, and the bottom half is blank. Which of the following will MOST likely rectify this issue?

Install additional memory in the printer. Explanation If only part of a page is printed on a laser printer (and the rest of the page is blank), you most likely need to add memory in the printer. This is especially true if it happens when complex graphical documents are printed, but printing works correctly with text-only documents.

You have just upgraded your computer's CPU. You consulted the motherboard documentation to make sure that the CPU was compatible with the motherboard. However, when you turn the system on, it locks up shortly after startup. Which of the following are the BEST steps to try first while troubleshooting this issue? (Select two.)

Look for something that could be causing the new CPU to overheat. Make sure that the CPU is seated properly, oriented correctly, and locked in to the socket. Explanation The most common issues that occur when a new CPU has been installed are: 1. The system locks up because it gets too hot. You should check for the following: The heat sink and fan are not placed correctly or are in poor condition. Thermal paste or the thermal pad have not been used between the processor and the heat sink. The heat sink is not firmly attached to the processor.

You have just finished upgrading the 250-watt power supply in your desktop computer to a 450-watt power supply. Now the BIOS does not recognize one of the hard disk drives in the system during POST. Which of the following troubleshooting steps is the BEST to try first?

Make sure that the hard disk is connected to the power supply. Explanation Because you have just made a system change, you should check items related to the change you have made. In this case, check to make sure that the power connectors are plugged in.

You have just installed an SSD drive in your older Windows workstation. However, after you start Windows, you do not see the SSD drive listed in Windows Explorer. What should you do FIRST?

Make sure the power connectors on the SSD drive are plugged in all the way. Explanation Because you have just made a system change, you should check items related to the change you have made. In this case, check to make sure that the power connectors are plugged in to the SSD drive.

You are troubleshooting a malfunctioning laptop computer. Nothing appears on the LED display when the system is powered on. Which of the following is the BEST step to try first?

Plug in an external monitor. Explanation If the built-in monitor isn't working, connect an external monitor to the laptop. If the display appears on an external monitor but not the built-in display, the problem could be a malfunctioning LED assembly, or it could be due to the display output being redirected to the external monitor port with the fn key.

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

Replace the motherboard. Explanation The motherboard in this scenario has distended capacitors. This is evidenced by their bulging shape and the brown fluid leaking from them. The best way to solve this issue is to replace the entire motherboard.

For the past few days, your mobile phone has stopped functioning and does not respond to touchscreen input. A soft reset no longer fixes the problem. Which of the following is the BEST step you can take to fix this problem?

Reset to factory default. Explanation Resetting to factory default uninstalls all apps and removes all data. This is the best option in this scenario.

Travis, a long-haul truck driver, reports that when driving on remote highways, his smartphone battery drains faster than normal, and his phone calls often cut out. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for the fast battery drain?

Signal drop or weak signal Explanation A smartphone can use excessive battery power, performing cell signal searches when cell service is nonexistent, weak, or sporadic.

A user reports that he is unable to access data on an external hard drive. You investigate the problem and determine that the USB cable connection to the hard drive is damaged. You replace the cable. Which of the following actions should you take next?

Test the solution. Explanation After implementing a solution, test it to verify full system functionality and make sure that it has fully fixed the problem and hasn't caused any additional issues. You document the problem and solution after everything has been fixed and verified. You determine if escalation is needed and create an action plan before implementing the solution.

A laptop has a wired connection to a network and is configured with a static IP address. The link light on the NIC is lit, but the laptop cannot communicate with any hosts on the local network. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

The IP address conflicts with another host on the local network. Explanation In most cases, when two host on the same local network have the same IP address, neither host will be able to communicate. While there may be other root causes for non-communication, this is the only possible cause presented in this scenario.

You are troubleshooting a malfunctioning laptop computer. Nothing appears on the LCD display when the system is powered on. When you connect an external monitor to the system, the Windows desktop is displayed on the monitor properly. Which of the following is MOST likely causing this problem? (Select two.)

The LCD assembly is malfunctioning. The display output has been redirected to the external monitor port using an fn key. Explanation If the display appears on an external monitor but not the built-in display, the problem could be a malfunctioning LCD assembly, or it could be due to the display output being redirected to the external monitor port using an fn key.

When you try to boot your computer, it hangs after POST. When you access the UEFI setup program, you see that the date is several years behind, and the time is set to 12:01 a.m. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this behavior?

The motherboard battery has failed. Explanation The system time and date are managed by the real-time clock (RTC) in the BIOS/UEFI firmware. If the motherboard battery goes dead, the RTC reverts back to a default date and time. In addition, the BIOS/UEFI may lose all of its configuration settings.

You are updating the operating system on your iPad. Your iPad is connected to your computer, and you are using iTunes to install the update. Which of the following BEST describes what would happen to your iPad if you disconnect it before the operating system update is complete?

The operating system could become corrupted. Explanation It is very important that you not disconnect your iPad while an update is in progress. If you do this, the operating system could become corrupted. The update will not pause if you disconnect your iPad. It will crash. The iPad will not continue through a wireless connection or revert to the previous version of the operating system, either.

A few of your employees have complained that their computers sometimes shut down spontaneously. You have noticed that these employees all work in a part of the building where the air conditioning does not adequately cool the room. These employees also use CPU-intensive programs. You suspect that the spontaneous shutdowns are caused by overheating. Which of the following is the simplest way to monitor the temperature of these computers' CPUs?

View the temperature from within the BIOS. Explanation An easy way to check the temperature of a computer's CPU is to boot to the BIOS and locate the Hardware Monitor section. Different BIOS programs have different section labels. Some of the more common labels are H/W Monitor, Status, and PC Health. From within this section, you can view a CPU's temperature.