Chapter 3

Display quality

The resolution, refresh rate.

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

Throttling

Error Correcting Code

Type of RAM that detects and fixes common kinds of internal corruption

Which of the following (1 BEST describes the technology designed to replace the BIOS and (2 is a firmware solution for controlling the startup process and loading the computer operating system into memory?

UEFI

A laptop that you previously purchased was shipped with SODIMM memory to accommodate the laptop's form factor. You would now like to upgrade the memory. Which of the following is an upgrade to the SODIMM standard?

UniDIMM

Your motherboard has two memory slots and supports a maximum of 8 GB of RAM. You are using a 32-bit version of Windows. After installing two 4 GB modules and booting your system, you find that Windows only recognizes 3.5 GB of RAM. Which of the following would MOST likely fix this issue?

Upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows. In this situation you are using a 32-bit version of Windows which can only address a maximum of 4 GB of RAM. Some of the 4 GB is used by drivers, so it only reports 3.5 GB of system RAM. Upgrading to a 64-bit version of Windows should fix the problem.

You need to connect a monitor that provides an HDMI port and a VGA port to a video adapter in a PC system that uses a DVI-D connector. Which of the following options would provide the BEST display quality at the lowest cost?

Use an adapter to connect the monitor HDMI port to the DVI-D connector on the PC.

HDMI cables are able to carry both video and audio signals; however, most video cards send only a video signal. Which of the following techniques can be used to send an audio signal through the video card? (Select TWO).

Using a graphics card with an onboard audio processor Audio pass-through

A user has called to complain that her computer won't boot. It stops on the system startup screen right after the memory has been tested and displays a 301 keyboard error. Which of the following troubleshooting steps is the BEST to try first?

Verify that no keys are being pressed down during POST.

A customer has brought a computer in to be repaired. He said he thinks that the sound card has stopped working because no audio is produced when music, video, or DVDs are played. Which troubleshooting step should you take first? (Select TWO.)

Verify that the speakers are plugged into the correct jack and are powered on. Verify that the volume isn't muted.

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 condition 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 the computer's CPU?

Viewing the temperature from within the BIOS.

Audio file types

WAV, AIFF, AU, MP3, AAC, WMA, MIDI.

Packaging (Form)

When you are purchasing RAM for a system, the most important consideration is the packaging, also called memory form. The packaging controls both the physical size of the memory module and the memory standard (e.g., DDR2, DDR3, DDR4).

When do you need to upgrade the system BIOS?

Whenever a BIOS update provides functionality that is not currently supported, but is required by the operating system or hardware.

You have an existing system that has a single DDR3 memory module installed. You would like to add more memory to the three remaining empty memory slots. Which of the following steps should MOST likely be taken to make sure you get the right memory for the system? (Select TWO).

check the motherboard documentation to find which modules are supported Purchase additional modules that are the same as what is currently installed

You are trying to troubleshoot a desktop power supply issue using a voltmeter. Which of the following options are the MOST common voltages produced by the power supply? (Select TWO).

1.) +/- 5V 2.) +/- 12V

An employee submitted a support ticket stating that her computer will not turn on. Which of the following troubleshooting steps should you take first? (Select TWO).

1.) Make sure the surge protector is turned on 2.) Make sure the power cord is plugged into the wall

You need to replace the power supply in your home desktop computer. Which of the following specifications are the most likely to affect your power supply choice? (Select THREE).

1.) Output Wattage 2.) Type and number of connectors 3.) Form Factor

You need to replace the power supply in your home desktop computer. As you choose the replacement power supply, which of the following specifications are the MOST likely to affect your choice? (Select THREE).

1.) Processor Connector 2.) Output Wattage 3.) Form Factor

Assuming all other processor specifications are the same, which of the following processor sizes will consume the least amount of power?

32 nm

32-Bit or 64-Bit

A 32-bit processor can process 32-bits of information at a time; a 64-bit processor can process 64-bits of information.

Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a CPU socket?

A CPU socket is a single connector between a microprocessor and the motherboard.

Motherboard

A circuit board that contains all of the computer system's main components.

Chipset

A group of chips that facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.

NLX

A low-end form factor that is similar to LPX but provides greater support for current and emerging processor technologies. NLX was designed for flexibility and efficiency of space.

Support manual

A motherboard's support manual is an excellent source of information. Support manuals contain technical specifications as well as diagrams that identify the motherboard's components. If you are missing a motherboard's support manual, check the manufacturer's website.

Multi-Core

A multiple core processor has multiple processors within a single processor package.

SATA power

A power connector that has 15 pins and provides 3.3, 5, and 12 volts.

Multi-core

A processor that has multiple processors within a single processor package.

Use the above diagram to match the case type labels on the left with their corresponding cases, identified by letters on the right.

A. Mini-ITX Tower B. Micro-ATX Tower C. Micro-ATX Tower D. ATX Mid-Tower E. ATX Full-Tower

Which of the following connectors are part of the system case and connect to header pins on the motherboard? (Select two.)

A. Power switch C. HDD LED activity

Expansion slots

Allow you to expand the capabilities of your computer.

You have been using the same computer for several years. To improve performance, you decide to upgrade the processor. You check the motherboard documentation and purchase the fastest processor supported by the motherboard. However, when you try to start the computer, it beeps regularly, and nothing is displayed on the screen. Which of the following actions would MOST likely rectify this issue? (Select TWO).

B. Flash the UEFI firmware E. Reinstall the old processor in the motherboard

BTX

Balanced Technology Extended. A motherboard form factor designed to replace ATX.

Brian is a new employee on the development team. As part of his job, he runs three virtual machines (VMs) on his computer. Each VM runs a different Windows license. After a while, Brian notices that his VMs are not running as fast as he thought. He has asked you to explore the issue. Which of the following BEST describes why Brian's VMs are running slowly?

Brian's computer has a single-core CPU configured to use hyper-threading. A single physical CPU core with hyper-threading appears as two logical CPUs to an operating system. While the operating system sees two CPUs for each core, the actual CPU hardware only has a single set of execution resources for each core. The CPU acts as if it has more cores than it does, but uses its own logic to speed up program execution.

Maintains an accurate system time and date, even when the power is off.

CMOS battery

Cache

Cache is memory that the processor can access directly without using the system RAM.

Allows additional features and capabilities to be added to the motherboard.

Expansion slots

Expansion Slots

Expansion slots (also called expansion buses) allow you to expand the capabilities of your computer by installing expansion cards.

Which function does a motherboard's chipset perform?

Facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.

Which of the following BEST describes the chipset?

Facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.

Contains firmware that is used to configure motherboard settings and initialize devices.

Flash memory

HTPC

Home Theater PC Designed to attach to a TV or projector for movie and TV viewing.

CPU socket

Houses the CPU.

When using Intel chips, which of the following features BEST allows a single processor to run two threads in parallel instead of processing single threads linearly?

Hyper-threading

Hyper-Treading

Hyper-threading is a feature of some Intel processors that allows a single processor to run threads (instructions) in parallel, as opposed to processing threads linearly. Hyper-threading enables a processor to execute two threads at the same time. For example, on a quad-core Intel system that supports hyper-threading, the processor can execute 8 threads at a time (2 on each core). Hyper-threading is not the same as multithreading. Multithreading is a feature of an application that allows it to send multiple threads at the same time. Applications are typically written to support multithreading to take advantage of multiple cores (executing threads on two or more processors at the same time) or hyper-threading features.

I/O Connectors

I/O connectors for onboard components are located on the back of the motherboard. These connectors typically include the following: PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports USB ports Serial ports (COM 1, 2, 3, and 4) Parallel port Audio jacks Ethernet port

Which of the following objects is installed between the back side of the system case and the motherboard's ports?

I/O shield

Your company relocated you from the United States to their United Kingdom office in London. You brought your personal computer with you and are in the process of setting it up. Your computer was previously configured to receive 115 VAC, but the electricity in London uses 230 VAC. Which of the following would allow your computer to run on 230 VAC?

Inspect the power supply unit for a manual voltage switch and move it to 230 VAC otherwise no action is necessary.

You have a computer with a dual-core 64-bit processor that uses the x86-x64 instruction set. You want to install the 32-bit application on the computer. Which of the following BEST describes the action you should perform?

Install the application normally. You can install a 32-bit application on a system with a 64-bit processor. If the processor runs the x86-64 architecture, the processor itself is capable of running the 32-bit application without modifications.

Which of the following is an advantage of purchasing a motherboard with integrated graphics and audio?

Lower overall system cost

Onboard Components

Many motherboards include onboard components (such as network cards, audio cards, video cards, or USB and FireWire connections). Selecting a motherboard with onboard devices is typically cheaper than buying separate expansion cards for each feature. However, the quality of these onboard devices might not be as high as dedicated expansion cards.

You want to build a computer that can stand upright on a desk and takes up the least amount of space possible. Which case type should you select?

Micro-ATX slim tower

Which of the following motherboard form factors BEST allows for low-consumption power supplies?

Mini-ITX Mini-ITX motherboards are designed for low-power, small, form factor computers. Some Mini-ITX motherboards are designed to be used with 100 watt power supplies.

Memory Slots

Most motherboards have multiple memory slots. Memory slots are designed to be compatible with a specific type of memory module.

Which of the following refers to placing two processors on a single processor chip or die?

Multi-core

Which of the following is a characteristic of a multi-processor system?

Multiple processor sockets on the motherboard

Distended capacitors

Over time, the capacitors on the motherboard may become overstressed or overheated.

Which expansion slot is best for high-end dedicated video cards?

PCIe x16

Speed

Processors operate using an internal clock that is the same as, or is a multiple of, the motherboard bus speed. The speed is represented in megahertz (MHz) and is also referred to as the frequency.

Overclocking

Pushing a CPU beyond its designed specifications.

You have a computer system with a dual-core processor. You would like to upgrade to a quad-core processor, but you don't want to replace the motherboard. Which of the following steps SHOULD you perform first?

Read the motherboard documentation to identify which processors are supported.

A user calls to complain that her 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.

You are testing the power supply in a PC system by measuring the voltage available on the 4-pin Molex connector. The voltage on the yellow wire is +10.1 volts. What should you do?

Replace the power supply

microATX Tower

Small computer case designed to be placed on desktops. Has only 1 drive bay. Compatible with: -microATX -miniATX

4-pin 12 V (P4) power

Starting with the Pentium 4 (P4) processor, CPUs required more power than could be provided through the ATX power plug. The 4-pin 12 V connector: -connects to the motherboard -provides two dedicated 12 V wires to the CPU (older processors only used 5 V power) *The 4-pin 12 V CPU connector is not the same as the 20+4-pin ATX power connector.

24-pin (20+4 pin) ATX connector

The 24-pin ATX power plug supplies power to the motherboard. -Some 24-pin connectors have one 20-pin plug and 4-pin plug (detachable)/ this allows for backwards compatibility with 20-pin motherboards. -You can plug a 24-pin ATX power plug into a 20-pin motherboard connector, leaving the four pins unconnected. *Older motherboards used 20 pin power plugs. With a 24 pin ATX power plug, the four extra pins supply an additional 3.3, 5, and 12 volts of DC power.

Extended ATX(EATX)

The EATX form factor is the largest ATX variant. EATX: Measures 12" × 13" Typically uses extra space for additional memory slots

Virtualization

The ability to install and run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single physical machine.

Firmware

The firmware on a motherboard is stored on integrated flash memory. Motherboards use one of two firmware implementations: BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)

Throttling

The process of modifying the operating characteristics of a processor based on current conditions.

Process Size

The process size refers to the manufacturing process used to etch transistors onto the silicon wafer that will become the CPU. A smaller process size means smaller transistors, which translates into a smaller CPU die with more transistors and less power consumption. Process size is expressed in microns (such as .25 microns) or nanometers (90 nm which equals .09 microns).

Standard ATX

The standard ATX form factor is the form factor that all other variants are modeled after. ATX motherboards: Measure 12" × 9.6" Have up to seven expansion slots Have between six and nine mounting holes

AC (alternating current)

The type of current distributed through wall sockets.

DC (direct current)

The type of current used inside a computer.

Internal Connectors

There are a number of connectors on motherboards for components such as power supplies, fans, and LED lights. Computer cases often have front panel ports (e.g., USB, FireWire, or audio ports) that need to be connected to the motherboard. These ports are connected to the motherboard's front panel connectors, which are also called headers. External ports that are not available on the motherboard are often added using expansion cards.

Integrated Memory Controller

To improve performance, some processors include the memory controller with an integrated graphics processing unit (GPU) on the processor die, resulting in faster memory access by the processor.

You are in the process of purchasing several new computers to replace broken or outdated computers. After much research, you have determined to purchase computers that use AMD sockets. Which of the following BEST describes an AMD and why you would select this option? (Select TWO).

Typically, AMD chips are less expensive. Typically, an AMD uses a Pin Grid Array (PGA) socket type.

You have a desktop computer that uses a 250-watt power supply. You recently added a four-disk RAID 10 array to the system, and now it spontaneously shuts down. Which of the following would MOST likely rectify this issue?

Upgrade to a power supply that provides more watts.

You work as the IT administrator for a small corporate network. One of the company employees needs to add an additional PCI card to the motherboard. When you open the computer, you see that the card purchased will not fit due to the card's height. Which of the following is the BEST method for using the newly purchased card?

Use a riser card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard. Riser cards attach to the motherboard and have expansion cards on the side. Using these expansion slots allow you to install additional cards parallel to the motherboard. This is especially useful in low-profile computers. A parallel card adds additional parallel ports used for such things as a printer. A firewire card gives the computer the ability to connect to a device using firewire.

You are building a new computer from both new and used parts. The video card is a PCIe video card that requires an 8-pin power connector. However, your power supply doesn't have an 8-pin PCIe power connector. Which solution would be the least expensive option for your system?

Use an adapter cable to connect two 4-pin Molex connectors to the 8-pin PCIe connector.

You have a desktop computer that you want to upgrade. You add several internal components and external components. You realize that you need to ensure that your power supply can support all of the new devices. Which of the following power supply ratings BEST describes the rating used to determine this?

Watt rating

Overheating

When a computer's internal components generate heat that does not dissipate, harming the computer's functions and hardware.

microATX

a version of the aTX form factor. MicroaTX addresses some new technologies that were developed after the original introduction of aTX.

ATX Mid-tower

slightly smaller than full-tower cases. has fewer external and internal bays. Compatible with Standard ATX, microATX, Mini-ITX and EATX (some) form factors.

You have been using the same computer for several years. To extend its service life, you decide to upgrade the processor. You check the motherboard documentation and purchase the fastest processor supported by the motherboard. However, when you start the computer, it beeps regularly, nothing is displayed on the screen, and it doesn't start. While troubleshooting this computer, which of the following would be BEST to try first?

C. Update the UEFI firmware

CPU Manufacturer

Intel and AMD are the two major producers of processors used in modern PCs.

Controls communication between the CPU, memory, and high-speed graphics bus.

Northbridge

You are testing the power supply in a PC system by measuring the voltage available on the 4-pin Molex connector. The voltage on the red wire is +5.1 volts. What should you do?

Nothing. The power supply is working normally.

ITX

A family of motherboard form factors. Mini-ITX is the largest and the most popular of the ITX form factors but is still quite small.

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?

A. The motherboard battery has failed

Stores custom configuration settings made by the user.

Non-volatile BIOS memory

You are in the process of installing a motherboard in a system case. Which of the following objects should you place between the motherboard and the system case?

Standoffs

Assuming the same operating frequency, what are the advantages of DDR3 over DDR2? (Select TWO.)

1. DDR3 uses less power than DDR2. 2. DDR3 doubles the data transfer rate of DDR2.

Assuming the same operating frequency, what advantages does DDR4 have over DDR3? (Select TWO.)

1. DDR4 Doubles the data transfer rate of DDR3.2.DDR4 uses less power than DDR3.

A customer would like you to install a high-end video card suitable for gaming. Your installation and configuration SHOULD include which of the following? (Select THREE).

1. Ensure that the video card is compatible with the expansion slot. 4. Configure the PC to use the integrated graphics if available and needed. 7. Install new the video drivers from CD and then install updated drivers from the internet.

You have just finished upgrading the CPU in your desktop system. After running for about 15 minutes, the system spontaneously shuts down. Which steps should you take to begin troubleshooting the issue? (Select TWO).

1.) Check the CPU fan power 2.) Check the thermal shutdown threshold in the BIOS

Which type of software-generated problems can indicate that a software bug is causing a memory error? (Select THREE.)

1.) Exception error 2.) Page fault 3.) General-protection fault

A customer wants to add an additional video card to her computer so she can play the latest computer games. As a result, this system will now have a multi-GPU configuration. Which of the following statements are true? (Select TWO).

1.) For the best performance, both video cards should be identical 2.) The motherboard should support either SLI or CrossFire

Which of the following video card connectors provides digital video output? (Select TWO).

1.) HDMI 2.) DVI-D

You are in the process of building a new computer. You would like to configure your computer to use SLI to improve performance while playing your favorite game. Which of the following will MOST likely be part of the configuration process? (Select THREE).

1.) Purchase a motherboard with 2 or more PCIe x16 slots 2.) Connect at least one monitor to the graphics card 3.) Purchase two graphics cards with SLI and similar specifications

Your company has decided to hire a full-time video editor. You have been asked to find a system with the level of display quality needed by someone who will be working with video all day. Which of the following video related specifications will have the greatest impact on display quality? (Select TWO).

1.) Refresh Rate 2.) Resolution

You work at a computer repair store. You just upgraded the processor (CPU) in a customer's Windows-based computer. The customer purchased the latest AMD Phenom II processor, and you installed it in the computer. When you power the computer on, you only see a blank screen. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the computer displaying a blank screen? (Select TWO).

1.) The CPU is bad.5.) The CPU is not supported by BIOS

Which of the following statements are true regarding power supply wattage? (Select TWO).

1.) The wattage requirement for each individual circuit uses formula W=VxA 2.) The watt rating indicates how much power can be supplied to various devices.

You have just upgraded the CPU on your computer. You consulted the motherboard documentation to make sure the CPU is compatible with the motherboard. However, when you turned the system on, it locks up shortly after startup. While troubleshooting this issue, which of the following are the BEST steps to try first? (Select TWO).

2.) Look for something that could be causing the new CPU to overheat 4.) Make sure the CPU is seated properly, oriented properly, and locked into the socket.

Lately, your computer is spontaneously shutting down after only a few minutes of use. What is the likely cause? (Select TWO).

2.) The power connector for the fan was not connected to the motherboard 3.) The heat sink and fan were not installed correctly

You have a computer that has four DDR2 memory slots. Currently, there are two 512 MB memory modules installed. You check the motherboard documentation and find that the system has a 4 GB memory limitation. You want to add more memory to this system. By adding new memory modules, and without replacing the existing memory modules, what is the maximum total amount of usable RAM you can have in this system?

3 GB The two existing modules total 1 GB of RAM. You have two remaining slots with which you can add memory to the system. Because the motherboard has a 4 GB memory limit, there is also a 1 GB limit for each memory slot. Therefore, you could add, at most, two 1 GB modules into the remaining slots, which would bring the system's total RAM to 3 GB.

What is the approximate bus speed of DDR2 memory rated at PC2-5300?

333 MHz DDR2 memory rated at PC2-5300 has a bus speed of 333 MHz and an internal frequency of 667 MHz (or DDR2-667). The bandwidth is around 16 times the bus speed and eight times the DDR- designation. F

Which of the following BEST describes the theoretical capacity of a DDR4 standard system memory module?

512 GB DDR4 theoretically allows for DIMMs of up to 512 GB in capacity. DDR3 has a theoretical capacity of 128 GB per DIMM.

You want to build a new system that supports 6 GB of memory. Which of the following will be the MOST important consideration when building the computer?

64-bit processor

You have a laptop with a dual-core processor that has the following characteristics: 1024 KB L2 cache 125 Watts 45nm process size You want to upgrade the processor to one that uses less power. Which of the following characteristics would MOST likely identify a processor that uses less power

90 Watts

IEEE 1394

A FireWire port.

PCI Extended (PCI-X)

A PCI design that overcomes PCI bandwidth limitations.

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)

A RAM chip that replaced the CMOS chip.

RCA

A coaxial digital I/O for S/PDIF audio.

DirectX/openGL

A collection of APIs that improves graphic, animation, and multimedia creations.

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

A connection slot for a 32-bit computer bus.

High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)

A digital copy form designed to protect digital media from piracy.

TOSLINK

A digital optical I/O for S/PDIF audio.

DSP

A digital signal processor.

DAC

A digital-to-analog converter.

A computer's power supply converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal components of a computer. You are building a new computer. You are deciding which type of power supply to install. Which of the following definitions BEST describes a valid type of power supply?

A dual-rail power supply provides separate rails (PCB traces) used to balance the power load between multiple circuits, which prevents any one circuit from becoming overloaded.

Heat sink

A hardware component made of heat conductive material.

CAS Latency

A method of measuring access timing to memory, which is the number of clock cycles required to write or read a column of data off a memory module. CAS stands for Column Access Strobe. Compare to RAS Latency.

Sampling rate

A number of analog signal samples taken in over a period of time.

Mini TRS

A port that accepts 3.5mm plugs for analog audio I/O.

HDMI

A port that sends HD audio to an HDMI device.

Mini PCI

A small form factor used by computers.

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)

A technology for constructing integrated circuits.

Consider the memory modules shown in the image below. Drag the label on the left and drop it on the letter on the right that best identifies the associated memory module form.

A. DDR DIMM.B. DDR3 DIMM.C. DDR4 DIMM.D. DDR2 DIMME. 200-pin SODIMM.F. 144-pin SODIMM.G. UniDIMM.

ATX Full-tower

ATX full-tower cases are the largest computer cases. Full-tower cases have a lot of space for external and internal components. ATX full-tower cases are compatible with the following form factors: Standard ATX EATX microATX

You need to purchase a case that meets the following criteria: Compatible with most form factors At least two external and internal bays Good balance of size and space Which case type should you purchase?

ATX mid-tower.

I/O

Acronym for input/output.

Match the cooling system types on the left with the appropriate characteristics and uses on the right. Each cooling system type can be used once, more than once, or not at all.

Active heat sink: - Used for cooling high-end video cards - Has a fan attached to the heat sink- Used for cooling CPUs Liquid cooling: - Used for cooling high-end gaming computers - Used for cooling high-performance systems Passive heat sink: - Used for cooling memory modules - Has no fan attached to the heat sink Power Supply: - Exhausts hot air out of the back of the case

You have a computer with a Pentium 4 CPU and two PC-2400 DDR modules. The motherboard has room for two additional memory modules, and you'd like to install two PC-4000 modules. Which of the following statements is true?

All memory will operate at 300 MHz. In this scenario, all memory will operate at 300 MHz. When you mix memory with different speed ratings, all memory will operate at the slowest frequency. Memory can operate at a frequency lower than its rating. The only way to get memory to operate at a higher frequency is to overclock the memory. However, memory is tested and rated at the highest frequency at which it is stable. While you can likely get some small performance gains through overclocking, it is unlikely that you will be able to push the PC-2400 memory up to PC-4000 and still have a stable system.

After working without problems for a couple of years, your computer has begun to lock up. You suspect that it is a thermal issue, but you can't find any component that is not functioning correctly. You have not replaced the CPU or installed any new devices. The CPU cooling fan and the power supply fan are working properly. The lock-ups are happening with increasing frequency. Which of the following is the MOST common condition that might explain these symptoms?

An accumulation of dust has gradually built up.

Liquid cooling

An additional cooling agent used when air cooling is not enough.

ADC

An analog-to-digital converter.

Sound card

An expansion card that manages sound input and output.

Analog input

An input that allows audio to be recorded through the sound card.

Legacy Bus

An old bus no longer supported by manufacturers.

Analog output

An output that allows sound to be played through external devices.

Which of the following components is an example of firmware?

BIOS/UEFI

To improve system performance, you have configured a motherboard to run with a higher multiplier than what the CPU is specified to use. Since doing this, the system has become unstable and crashes frequently. To restore system stability, which of the following should be completed?

Back off on the overclocking settings until the system runs in a stable manner.

Where should the thermal paste go when installing a processor?

Between the heat sink and CPU

What type of RAM might slow system performance because it holds memory addresses or data to improve stability on systems with more than 1 GB of RAM before it is transferred to the memory controller?

Buffered Buffered (or registered) RAM has a buffer that holds memory addresses or data before it is transferred to the memory controller. Buffered RAM improves stability on systems with a lot of RAM (over 1 GB), but it might slow system performance.

Buffered (Registered)

Buffered (or registered) RAM has a buffer that holds memory addresses or data before it is transferred to the memory controller.

A new computer is being purchased for Peter, the new administrative assistant. Peter primarily uses word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, and a web browser to complete his job assignments. Which of the following BEST describes the reason to choose unbuffered instead of buffered memory for this new compute

Buffered memory is more expensive and slower than unbuffered memory.

You work as the IT administrator for a small corporate network. Sam, an employee in the support department, wants to run a virtual machine on his computer to troubleshoot customer issues from, and he needs a very stable computer from which to work. You need to decide whether to install buffered or non-buffered RAM in his computer. Which of the following BEST describes the reason to choose buffered instead of unbuffered memory for this new computer?

Buffered memory reduces the load on the memory controller and allows the system to be more stable.

Which of the following will ensure optimal system cooling? (Select THREE).

Bundle cables together and secure unused cables to the case Leave space between the case and any walls or obstructions Keep the ambient temperature below 80F

You have a friend who is offering to sell the monitor and video card from his gaming system along with several PC games. The games have fast-moving graphics, and you want to be able to play them on your own home system. The monitor he is selling is an LCD TN with a 144-Hz refresh rate. The video card he is selling supports a max refresh rate of 144 Hz. You're sure you want to buy the games, but you have a couple of other choices when it comes to the monitor and the video card. The monitor in your current system has a 60 Hz refresh rate. The video card has a max refresh rate of 75 Hz. This configuration has always worked fine for watching videos. You're also looking at new 60-Hz LCD IPS monitors and several high-end video cards with max refresh rates of up to 240 Hz. Which of the following will MOST likely allow you to play the games on your home system with the best gaming experience possible?

Buy your friend's games, monitor, and video card. Swap out both your video card and monitor.

With a memory module read request, there is a delay between the time of the data request and the time the data is available for output from the memory module. What is this delay called?

CAS latency

Which of the following is a general term for the program that holds system information related to computer startup?

CMOS CMOS is a general term for the program that stores important system information related to computer startup. Data held in CMOS includes the hard disk type and configuration, the order of boot devices to try, and other configurable settings related to the system hardware.

Which of the following components is necessary to keep the real-time clock running?

CMOS battery

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)

CMOS is legacy computer chip technology that has become a general term used for the program that stores important system information related to the starting of a computer. It is often used synonymously with BIOS. Data held in CMOS includes the hard disk type and configuration, the order of boot devices, and other configurable settings related to the system hardware

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

CPU, thermal paste, heat sink, fan

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 of the following is the BEST first step in troubleshooting the problem? (Select TWO).

Check the CPU fan power Make sure the heat sink is properly mounted and has thermal paste

You have just purchased a new plug-and-play sound card that uses a PCI slot. What should you do before installing the device in your Windows system? (Select TWO).

Check the HCL to make sure the device is compatible with the version of Windows running on your system.Download the latest driver from the manufacturer's Web site.

You would like to install Windows on a computer that previously had another operating system installed on it, but you are not sure if the audio card is compatible. The installed audio card is a SoundMax D1371 (PCI) card. Which of the following BEST describes the next step you should perform?

Check the manufacturer website for compatibility information.

You recently purchased a new sound card and installed it in a free PCI slot in your computer. You plug in your old speakers, but you don't get any sound. You have checked all cable connections, and they are secure. You have also ensured that the speaker volume is appropriately adjusted and isn't muted. Which of the following BEST describes the next step you should perform?

Check the vendor for a new driver

You want to upgrade all memory in your system with the fastest memory available. Which of the following should you choose?

Choose the type of memory that is supported by your motherboard.

You have just installed a new video card in Mark's computer. When you power on the computer, Windows automatically detects the new device and tries to locate an applicable device driver. Unfortunately, Windows cannot locate the required driver. Which of the following would be the BEST administrative tool to fix Mark's computer?

Computer Management

Heat sensors

Computers have several heat sensors, including the CPU sensor, system case sensor, and room temperature sensor.

You are installing a high-end PCIe x16 video card in a new computer. The video card has connectors for two displays. The card also has dual fans to cool the unit. Which of the following will MOST likely be part of the installation?

Connect a 6- or 8-pin power connector to the video card.

One of the users in your company notices some strange behavior on his computer. After describing what is being seen, you do a little research and determine that the best course of action is to update the UEFI firmware. Before performing the upgrade, if possible, which of the following is the BEST action to take?

Connect the computer to a UPS.

You just replaced the motherboard, CPU, and memory in your computer. Now your computer will not start. You press the power button on the system case, but nothing happens; there are no sounds or lights. What should you do?

Connect the power button to the motherboard.

Display connectors

Connectors that attach to different displays like VGA, DVI-I, HDMI, DisplayPort.

Which of the following accurately describes case fans? (Select TWO).

Create a pressurized system inside the case Pull cool air from the front and blow hot air out the back

Which component is responsible for converting digital audio into sound that can be played on speakers?

DAC

Your motherboard has sockets for 184-pin DIMM RAM. Which type of RAM should you install?

DDR

Memory

DDR, DDR2, DDR3, GDDR2, GDDR3, GDDR5.

Which of the following memory ratings identifies the fastest memory?

DDR3-1600 DDR3-1600 has the fastest memory rating. It has a bus frequency of 800 MHz and bandwidth of 12800 MB/s. For DDR, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4, the number following the DDR- designation is always twice that of the bus speed, specifying that the double data rate memory transfers double the data in a single clock cycle. This means that DDR2-667 has a bus frequency of 333 MHz. The older PC designation identified the bus frequency, so PC-133 has a frequency of 133 MHz. The newer PC- designation identifies the bandwidth, so PC-2700 has a bandwidth of 2700 MB/s. To get the frequency from the bandwidth, divide the bandwidth by 16, giving you 166 MHz for PC-2700 and 200 MHz for PC-3200.

Which memory rating identifies the fastest memory?

DDR3-2000 DDR3-2000 has the fastest memory rating. It has a bus frequency of 1000 MHz and a bandwidth of 16000 MB/s. For DDR, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4, the number following the DDR- designation is always twice that of the bus speed, specifying that the double data rate memory transfers double the data in a single clock cycle. This means that DDR-400 has a bus frequency of 200 MHz. The newer PC- designation (used with all DDR2 and DDR3 memory) identifies the bandwidth, so PC3-8500 has a bandwidth of 8500 MB/s. To get the frequency from the bandwidth, divide the bandwidth by 16, giving you 533 MHz for PC3-8500 and 667 MHz for PC3-10600.

Which of the following are terms used to identify memory modules?

DIMM

Feature support

DirectSound 3D, EAX, THX, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS, MIDI.

You are building one of your customers a home theater PC (HTPC) to connect to an HDTV and high-definition audio system. The customer is going to be playing mostly Blu-ray movies on the system. Which of the following features should the sound card include? (Select TWO).

Dolby Digital, DTS support, or SDDS support S/PDIF output

DDR

Double-Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM

To fix a problem you are having with your PC, you have determined that you must flash the computer's BIOS. Which of the following would MOST likely need to be completed prior to flashing the BIOS? (Select TWO).

Download the flash utility or tool from the manufacturer's website. Properly identify the motherboard.

Which of the following is an error detection technique that can also correct the error?

ECC

Which of the following components is a non-volatile memory technology for saving system settings when the computer is powered off?

EEPROM chips

The PCI sound card in your computer has stopped working. You decide to use the motherboard's integrated sound until you can replace the PCI sound card. After removing the PCI sound card and powering on the computer, you have no sound ,and the built-in sound card does not show up in Device Manager. To solve this issue, which of the following is the BEST action to try first?

Edit the CMOS settings and enable the onboard sound.

The system boots, but the display remains blank

Either a card or memory module is not seated, or the system includes unsupported memory. Non-parity RAM is incompatible with ECC memory and SDRAM is incompatible with EDO memory.

The system boot fails and sounds a beep code

Either no memory is installed or the memory was not detected.

You are attempting to boot a new system. The boot fails, and the system sounds a beep code. Which of the following describes the MOST likely cause of this error?

Either no memory is installed or the memory was not detected.

Since it has no moving parts, a CPU will usually work properly for several years. Which of the following is a common factor that MIGHT cause a CPU to fail prematurely?

Electrostatic discharge (ESD)

You are in a carpeted office lighted by fluorescent bulbs. You are preparing to add memory modules to a user's computer. The user has already unpacked the memory modules and stacked them on top of an old, unused CRT monitor. In this environment, what is the greatest threat to these memory modules?

Electrostatic discharge (ESD)

Case fan

Fans that create a pressurized system that allows air to flow through the computer case in a specific way.

Basic Input Output System (BIOS)

Firmware that controls input and output operations.

Memory is not properly seated or missing/the motherboard is defective.

First Boot Of a new Computer

Frequency

For optimal performance, you should match the memory frequency (sometimes called the speed) with the frequency supported by the system bus/memory controller.

The CEO of your small company has asked you to connect his laptop computer to the small conference room LED TV. The CEO will be showing a new promotional video that demonstrates the new company strategy through images and sound. Which of the following cable types would work BEST for connecting his laptop to the display?

HDMI

A technician wants to connect a computer to a high-definition television (HDTV). The technician has attached an HDMI cable from the video card to the television, however, the video card is only sending a video signal over the cable. The technician decides to use the audio pass-through technique to deliver audio to the television. An audio output cable is connected to the video card and television. Which of the following options was used for the audio pass-through?

HDMI out

HDMI audio

HDTV out, onboard sound.

Incompletely or improperly doing this can cause errors that appear to be memory-related.

Hardware installation or removal

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

I/O firmware that will, eventually, completely replace BIOS.

Not Enough Memory Errors

If you receive Not Enough Memory or Out of Memory errors when you try to open and use more than one program at a time, you may need more physical memory.

You have installed a new computer with a quad-core 64-bit processor, 6 GB of memory, and a PCIe video card with 512 MB of memory. After installing the operating system, you see less than 4 GB of memory showing as available in Windows. Which of the following actions would MOST likely rectify this issue?

Install a 64-bit version of the operating system.

Match the video card types on the left with the appropriate characteristics on the right. Each video card type is used more than once.

Installed in an expansion slot on the motherboard - Dedicated Has a GPU and dedicated high-speed video memory bank. - Dedicated Are more powerful and more expensive. - Dedicated GPU is integrated with another hardware component, such as a motherboard or CPU. - Integrated Shares system memory for graphic processing. - Integrated Are much cheaper and less powerful. - Integrated

What is a DB-15 connector on a sound card typically used for? (Select TWO).

Joystick MIDI

You have just received an order of various system components from an order you placed several weeks ago. One of the components is labeled as SODIMM memory. For which of the following was this memory MOST likely purchased?

Laptop computers

After installing two memory modules, you power on the system to check for errors. You find that the BIOS program recognizes only one of the memory modules. While troubleshooting this issue, which of the following is BEST to try first?

Make sure that both modules are seated properly in their slots.

A customer needs to use several applications. Currently, the computer cannot keep all the necessary applications open at the same time. Which of the following components should you consider upgrading?

Memory

The memory is not compatible and was not installed and configured properly.

Memory Upgrade

Error Messages

Memory error usually indicate a failing module or discrepancies between new and old memory. Avoid the latter problem by not mixing new and old memory. Ensure that the memory is functioning properly and is compatible with the system. If the memory is good and fully compatible, these error messages could mean that the motherboard has a problem. The following are some common error messages you may encounter:

Memory Errors

Memory errors usually indicate a failing module or discrepancies between new and old memory.

You have just built a new system from scratch. You turn the computer on, but the system boot fails and sounds a beep code. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Memory not installed or not detected

Which port on a sound card should you connect a non-amplified microphone to?

Mic In

Which of the following features are typically available through TRS ports on a sound card? (Select TWO).

Microphone in Speakers out

Mini-ITX Tower

Mini-ITX towers are designed to house Mini-ITX motherboards. They are typically smaller than Micro-ATX towers. The ITX form factor was designed for low-power, small form factor (SFF) computers. The most common ITX form factor is the Mini-ITX form factor. One typical use is with a home theater PC (HTPC).

Mobile Processors

Mobile CPUs are used in mobile computers and cell phones where portability and mobility are a concern. Special versions of processors are built to minimize power consumption and the amount of heat generated.

8-pin EPS12V CPU power

Modern processors consume even more power. The 8-pin EPS12V connector provides four ones of 12 V power. -The 8-pin EPS12V was originally used with some older dual processor systems -All modern multi-core processors use this connector -Some power supplies have two 4-pin connectors (4+4) that are meant to be used side-by-side in the 8-pin plug.

Which of the following characteristics accurately describe passive heat sinks?

More reliable than active heat sinks

You are in the process of configuring a new computer. The motherboard has four memory slots and supports dual-channel memory. You install two memory modules. When you boot the computer, the BIOS recognizes both modules, but the memory is not configured to run in dual-channel mode. What should you do?

Move the modules to the correct motherboard slots.

Which of the following is the most common method for removing RAM from a motherboard?

Move the tabs holding the RAM out of the way; pull straight up to remove the RAM.

Which of the following form factors does not have expansion slots on the motherboard, but instead uses a riser card for expansion cards?

NLX The NLX form factor uses a riser card in the middle of the system board (expansion slots are located on the riser card rather than the system board).

6+2-pin PCIe

Newer video cards require more power than can be supplied through the PCI Express bus. The 6+2-pin PCIe connector plugs directly into the video card to supply additional, dedicated power. The 6+2-pin PCIe: -Provides up to 150 watts -Is also known as a PEG6+2 (PCI Express Graphics 6+2 pin) -Some motherboards only have a 6-pin PCIe connector. These connectors provide up to 75 watts.

You decided to upgrade your PC with a faster processor. To do this, you ordered a new motherboard over the Internet that supports the processor you want to use. When it arrives, you discover that the motherboard uses the Micro-ATX form factor. Your current case is an ATX mid-tower with a standard ATX motherboard inside. What steps must be taken for the Micro-ATX motherboard to work in the ATX case?

No additional steps are necessary, the Micro-ATX motherboard can be installed in the ATX case. ATX mid-tower cases support all ATX form factors, including Micro-ATX. The main difference between ATX and Micro-ATX is the number of bus and memory slots on the motherboard.

Paul has just joined your company, and you are in the process of purchasing a laptop computer for his use. Paul will work as a sales rep in the sales department. You have heard that some types of RAM are better than others. Which of the following types of RAM would BEST meet the needs of Paul's new computer?

Non-ECC memory, as it is less expensive, and parity is not required

Notebook

Notebook cases are generally proprietary and often vary among models.

Intermittent problems

One of the tougher detection challenges is the intermittent occurrence of error messages, crashes, or sudden reboots. The trouble in diagnosing this situation is the number of potential problems, including timing, heat, corrosion, fluctuating power, loose connections, EMI, or a combination of these problems.

You would like to upgrade the processor in your system to a 64-bit processor. Which of the components will you most likely need to upgrade as well to take full advantage of the new processor?

Operating system

Zoey has brought her computer in for servicing. When she dropped off her computer, she mentioned that her computer will sometimes spontaneously reboot and freezes occasionally. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this problem?

Overheated CPU

A computer was brought into your help desk center for repair. You have been told that it randomly locks up. Which of the following is MOST likely causing this issue?

Overheated processor

Which of the following expansion buses is most commonly used for devices such as sound cards, modems, and network cards?

PCI

Which of the following expansion buses uses a point-to-point dedicated connection and provides a serial full-duplex method of transmission?

PCIe

Bus type

PCIe x16, PCI, AGP, VESA.

Steve, a computer technician, received a helpdesk ticket for a computer that will not start. When Steve powered the computer on, there was one long and two short beeps. Which of the following programs is reporting this error condition?

POST

What is the name for the routine that tests the motherboard, memory, disk controllers, video, keyboard and other system hardware?

POST

Which of the following is an error detection technique that can detect errors with only one bit?

Parity Parity error detection can only detect errors with only one bit, while Error Correcting Code (ECC) can detect errors with more than one bit. EDO is not a type of error correction, it is a type of memory that can start a new access cycle while keeping the data output of the previous cycle active.

Parity RAM

Parity memory is a type of memory that checks for common kinds of internal data corruption. It does not correct internal data corruption. Non-parity memory does not perform error checking.

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

Passive heat sink

You are a high school student learning about computers and how to build them. As a class project, you have built a new computer. You power on your computer and begin to configure the system. After a short while, you notice smoke coming from the PC, and shortly after that, the computer stops working. After removing the computer case, you see that the CPU and surrounding areas are burnt and very hot. You realize that the costly mistake you made was not using a heat sink. When rebuilding your computer, which of the following cooling systems would MOST efficiently remove heat from the CPU?

Passive heat sink, thermal paste, liquid pipes, and fan

Cooling

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. CPUs use a heat sink, fan, thermal paste, liquid, or fanless cooling system to transfer heat from the CPU to the cooling unit.

You are in the process of building a new computer. You would like to configure your computer to use Crossfire to improve performance when playing your favorite game. Which of the following will be part of the configuration process?

Purchase two identical video cards.

Capacity

Refers to the storage capacity of the memory module.

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.

Your computer has one single core processor installed. The motherboard supports processors with up to four cores. You want to upgrade your computer to a quad-core system. Which of the following will be part of your configuration?

Replace the existing processor. A multi-core system supports processors that have multiple processors on a single processor die. Multi-core systems have a single processor slot. To upgrade this system, you need to remove the existing processor and replace it with one that has four cores.

You are servicing a client's computer that has been randomly restarting. You decide to test the power supply using a multimeter. You connect the positive lead to the yellow wire on one of the Molex connectors. Which of the following BEST describes the action you should take based on the multimeter reading shown below?

Replace the power supply because it is failing.

Your system crashes at various times: sometimes on startup, sometimes when running a software application, sometime when a certain group of applications is running. You suspect a malfunctioning CPU, but none of the common issues seem to be present. You have not configured overclocking. There is no overheating. The CPU is seated correctly and locked into its socket. What can you do to definitively determine if the CPU is causing the system crashes?

Replace the suspect CPU with a known good CPU of the same make and model.

You work for a company that provides technical support for customers. One customer calls wanting to know how to adjust their monitor so they can have the sharpest and most detailed images, words, and icons. Which Control Panel setting should you adjust to BEST meet the customer's needs?

Resolution

For a special project, you have been asked to recommend the lowest profile desktop computers available. You are attempting to put together the specifications for these machines. Which of the following types of cards are attached to the motherboard to allow expansion cards to plug into them instead of the motherboard?

Riser Riser cards attach to the motherboard and have expansion cards plug into them instead of the motherboard.

TV Input/output

S-video, HDMI, VGA, DVI and connectors.

You are building a new computer and want to purchase a motherboard that has integrated sound with digital audio output. Which of the following ports would you MOST likely find on the motherboard faceplate that indicates digital audio support?

S/PDIF

Multi-GPU

SLI, CrossFire.

What is the role of the CMOS in a modern computer?

Saves information about system devices.

After arriving at work, you turn on your computer to begin your day. Instantly, you see smoke and smell a strange odor coming from the computer. Which of the following would be the MOST important action to take?

Shut off the system immediately.

Single- or Double-Sided

Single-sided RAM has memory modules that are organized into a single logical bank; double-sided RAM has modules organized into two banks.

Which of the following statements is true regarding single- and double-sided memory?

Single-sided memory uses half the number of memory modules as double-sided memory of the same capacity.

This event can require more memory and can cause problems if there is not enough memory when it occurs.

Software Installation

Software-generated memory problems

Software errors include: Registry error - Parts of the registry are written to faulty sections of RAM. Exception error - A software bug can cause this type of error. General-protection fault - A software bug can cause this type of error. Page fault - A software bug can cause this type of error.

High Disk Usage

Some operating systems send data to the hard disk drive if there is not enough physical memory available. If you hear the hard drive constantly operating as you work, or if the hard drive light on the front of the system case stays illuminated for long periods of time, you may need to add more physical memory to the computer.

Houses the PCI bus controllers and communicates with the super I/O controller.

Southbridge

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Stores data using a single transistor for every bit of data.

Static RAM (SRAM)

Stores data using four transistors for every bit of data.

Which of the following are benefits UEFI provides that BIOS does not? (Select three.)

Supports 64-bit firmware device drivers. Supports drives larger than 2.2 TB. Faster startup times.

Failing CPU

System usually doesn't boot.

4-pin peripheral power

The 4 pin peripheral power connector (colloquially called a 4-pin Molex connector) is used by legacy components (e.g., IDE hard drives and PATA optical drives), case fans, and other accessory devices. The connector provides both 5 V (red wire) and 12 V (yellow wire). -Each power supply cable typically has multiple 4-pin connectors on the same cable. -When connecting devices, try to balance the devices connected to each cable.

4-pin mini-Molex

The 4-pin mini-Molex connector provides both 5 and 12 volts and is used by floppy drives. *Most modern power supplies do not have a 4-pin mini-Molex connector.

ATX

The ATX (advanced technology extended) form factor is the most commonly used form factor. Because of its popularity, several variants of the ATX form factor exist. Each variant has different specifications for dimensions and number of expansion slots. However, all ATX variants share the following characteristics: Back plate measurements (6.25" × 1.75") Power supply specifications:24-pin ATX power connectorOn/off switch runs from the case to the motherboardSoft-power control (OS can turn the computer off) Expansion slot locations and spacing (0.8" between slots) Mounting hole locations CPU location (top of board near power supply)

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)

The BIOS is a legacy program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) chip that the CPU automatically loads and executes when it receives powe

An employee complains that every time they turn their computer off, the computer's time is set to 12:00 p.m., and the date is set back to January 1, 1990. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this anomaly?

The CMOS battery has failed.

When you boot the computer, it hangs after asking you for the current time and date. What is the most likely problem?

The CMOS battery has failed.

CMOS Battery

The CMOS battery is used to keep an accurate date and time, even when the motherboard has no power. In older motherboards, the CMOS battery was also used to retain BIOS configuration settings, which were stored in volatile memory called the CMOS chip.

CPU Socket

The CPU socket houses the CPU. There are a variety of CPU socket types, each of which have unique shapes, pin arrangements, or mounting configurations. Because of this, it's important to match the motherboard socket type with the processor socket type. Some motherboards support multiple processors and have a socket for each CPU.

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)

The EEPROM is a RAM chip that replaced the CMOS chip.

The system boots, but the memory count is incorrect

The POST failed to recognize all of the memory. This can happen with incompatible memory installation. Remember to avoid combining dual-bank with single-bank memory. If any problem is detected during system boot, check the BIOS settings.

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

The UEFI was designed to replace the BIOS. Important things about UEFI are: The UEFI is firmware. The UEFI program controls the startup process and loads the operating system into memory. The UEFI design improves the software interoperability and the address limitations of BIOS. The UEFI provides better security to protect against bootkit (malware attacks on the boot process) attacks. The UEFI provides faster startup times. The UEFI supports drives larger than 2.2 terabytes. The UEFI supports 64-bit firmware device drivers. The UEFI is compatible with both BIOS and UEFI hardware. You should frequently check for UEFI updates from the manufacturer. Updating the UEFI (called flashing the UEFI) makes new features available.

You have just finished replacing the motherboard in your friend Ethan's computer with the same type of motherboard it originally had. You tested the motherboard by powering it on and verifying that the operating system started, and his applications were working. Now Ethan is complaining that his computer no longer recognizes his external hard drive. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the external hard drive not to function?

The USB front panel connector was not properly connected.

Processing capabilities

The capacity of the graphics processing unit (GPU).

PCI Express (PCIe)

The connector that replaced PCI, PCI-X and AGP.

You work at a computer repair store. You just upgraded the processor (CPU) in a customer's computer. The computer starts, but it shuts down shortly after starting Windows. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the computer to automatically shut down?

The fan has no power.

Which of the following are true regarding a dual-channel memory bandwidth configuration? (Select TWO).

The memory controller must support dual-channels Bandwidth is increased by 5-15%