Chapter 4 - Understanding Motherboards

True or False: SATA is a technology that allows you to connect hard drives to the system. It has a direct connection to the motherboard which does NOT support hot swapping technology. A. True B. False

B False. SATA supports hot swapping technology and provides the direct connection to the motherboard.

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) is a computer bus used for attaching hardware devices in a computer. How many megahertz do PCI adapters run at? A. 33 MHZ B. 94 MHZ C. 98 MHZ D. 64 MHZ

A 33 MHZ is the correct megahertz bus clock to support this plug-and-play technology.

Serial ports send data in series through the COM ports. Which serial communication standard is most widely used? A. RS-485 B. RS-232 C. MIL-188 D. Current Loop

B the most widely used serial communication standard is RS-232. RS-485 is used for multiline or party line applications, Current Loop is used for lower data rates with the absence of current, and MIL-188 is used for military applications by the Department of Defense.

Technicians need to know the operations and configurations of the motherboard and components. When installing processor chips, how is a chip installed in a "zero insertion force" (ZIF) socket? A. Pull up on the insertion lever B. Utilize needle nose pliers and twist counter clockwise C. Insert the chip through the USB port D. Chips installed in a ZIF socket must be replaced by the manufacturer

A Chips are inserted into a "zero insertion force" (ZIF) socket by pulling up on the retention lever and popping the processor out of the socket.

SATA cable connections have seven pin cables which connect the motherboard to storage devices. Currently SATA is at revision 3.3 and is a hot-swappable technology. What does the term hot-swappable mean? A. The cable hot-swaps information between the motherboard and devices B. Drives can be removed and added while the system is running C. The operating temperature within the computer is 46 degrees Celsius or higher D. It means the devices are plug-and-play

B Hot swapping technology means drivers can be removed and added while the system is still running.

Motherboard ____________ describe the dimensions of the motherboard and the layout of the motherboard components. This is important because motherboards are not interchangeable. A. Adapter slots B. Form factors C. Motherboard slots D. Proprietary standards

B Motherboard form factors describe the dimensions of the motherboard and the layout of the motherboard components. The most common of which is the ATX.

Michael is a new IT professional in your shop. He is troubleshooting a laptop and finds he needs to enter the date and time every time the system boots up. He asked you what you think the problem may be. How do you reply? A. Tell him to check the power supply B. Tell him to ensure the RAM is seated properly C. Tell him to replace the CMOS battery D. Tell him to remove and replace the North Bridge chip

C If you find you must enter the date and time every time the system boots you should replace the CMOS battery.

The A+ examination requires you to understand bus architectures. As you work you will be installing a number of network cards, sound cards, and video cards. Which of the following is a downfall of Peripheral Component Interconnect? A. It can only support three devices at a time B. It has a fixed width of 64 bits C. It has a fixed width of 32 bits D. It can only support one device at a time

C Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) has a fixed width of 32 bits and can only handle five devices at a time. PCI-X is 64 bits and provides more bandwidth.

Within the motherboard chip set there are two chips which comprise the largest part of the motherboard; these are the North and South bridges. The North Bridge is responsible for communication with which of the following? A. CPU to IDE B. CPU to PCI C. CPU to memory D. CPU to USB

C The North Bridge is responsible for communication from the CPU to memory. The South Bridge is responsible for communication between the CPU and other devices such as IDE, PCE, and USB devices.

Serial and parallel ports are used to communicate with the motherboard. Which type of port would be identified as serial? A. LPT1 B. A female port C. The printer port D. A communications port

D A serial port is also identified as a communication or COM port and is identified as a male port using pins.