3.8,3.9,3.10,3.11,& 3.12

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?

*Install new the video drivers from CD and then install updated drivers from the internet. *Ensure that the video card is compatible with the expansion slot. *Configure the PC to use the integrated graphics if available and needed. It is imperative that you always ensure that the video card is compatible with the expansion slot in which the video card will be installed. In some cases, you may have to disable the integrated graphics. However, if possible, you should configure the computer to default back to the integrated graphics if the new high-end graphics card fails or is removed. Otherwise, you may not be able to access the BIOS/UFI firmware to change the computer back to the integrated graphics. Some high-end graphic cards may require a connection to the power supply, but you do not need to disable power to the integrated graphics. You typically only need twice as much system memory as your graphics car has VRAM. Since this computer has 16GB RAM and the card is only 4GB, no additional RAM is required.

What is the difference between dedicated and integrated video cards?

*Dedicated video cards: -Are installed in an expansion slot on the motherboard -Have a graphics processing unit (GPU) and a dedicated, high-speed video memory bank -Are more powerful than integrated video cards, but are also more expensive -Dedicated video cards have a GPU, as well as very high-speed dedicated graphic memory, known as SGRAM, which can be implemented as VRAM, or much faster GGDR3, 4, or 5 memory. -High-end dedicated video cards have a very large heatsink and multiple fans on the card for thermal management. -They're typically used for gaming computers, or computers that deal with a lot of graphic applications, such as 3D rendering software. *Integrated graphics: -Integrate the GPU with another hardware component (e.g., a motherboard or CPU) -Share system memory for graphic processing -Are much cheaper than dedicated video cards, but are also less powerful -Motherboards with onboard video cards can be easily identified by having video output ports on the I/O plate

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?

*Download the flash utility or tool from the manufacturer's website. *Properly identify the motherboard. To successfully flash your BIOS, it is critical that you research and know the exact make, model, and revision of your motherboard to ensure that the correct flash file is used. Using the wrong flash file will probably cause errors. Although your computer may have shipped with a tool to perform a BIOS flash, it is best to download the latest tool to ensure that the flash is performed correctly. Testing the memory and creating a hard backup will not aid you while flashing a PC's BIOS.

What are common signs that a computer needs additional memory?

*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. *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 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?

*Most high-end PCIe x16 video cards require a special 6-pin or 8-pin power connector for additional power. Be sure to connect the power after inserting the card in the system and prior to turning the system on. *If the motherboard has integrated graphics, it should be disabled in the BIOS when installing a dedicated video card. CrossFire bridge cables are used when installing two video cards in a multi-GPU configuration. Multiple display connectors on a video card do not need to be configured or enabled.

What process should you follow when installing a dedicated video card?

*Video cards must be compatible with the expansion slots on the motherboard. *If the motherboard has integrated graphics, disable it in the CMOS configuration when installing a dedicated video card. *Install the video card in the first open expansion slot. *If using a multi-GPU configuration (SLI or CrossFire): -Install the secondary video card in the next open expansion slot. -Link the two video cards together using the bridge clip. *Connect any additional power connectors to the video card(s) (e.g., 6-pin or 8-pin auxiliary power). >>Some motherboards have an additional power connector near the expansion slots that are used with multi-GPU configurations. *Connect the external display to the video card using the appropriate cable. When using a multi-GPU configuration, connect the monitor to the primary (first) video card. *After installing the video card and making all necessary connections, turn on the computer. *In the operating system, install the video card drivers. *If using a multi-GPU configuration, install all necessary configuration software.

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?

-Connect at least one monitor to the graphics card. -Purchase a motherboard with two (or more) PCIe x16 slots. -Purchase two graphics cards with SLI and similar specifications. In most cases, you will need to install identical video cards, or at least video cards with very similar specifications. Cards are linked using a special bridge clip or through software (depending on the implementation). Both the motherboard and the video cards must support the selected method (either SLI or CrossFireX). The motherboard must have at least two 16x PCIe slots. Some motherboards are able to link an onboard graphic controller and video card installed in a single PCIe slot. Connect the monitor to an output port on the first video card. VGA is an older video technology and would not be used for SLI. Graphic card power requirements, even for SLI, would not require dual 1200-watt power supplies. Hard drive speed is independent of SLI.

When selecting a video card, what characteristics should you keep in mind?

-Display connectors -Display quality -Processing capabilities -Memory -Bus type -Multi-GPU -HDMI audio -DirectX/OpenGL -High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)

What are the categories that memory problems are usually found in?

-Either more memory is installed than the system supports or the CMOS settings are incorrect -Incompatible or broken modules -Improperly installed modules or dirty or defective sockets

What are the most common expansion bus types?

-Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) -PCI Express (PCIe) -Legacy buses

Match each critical time on the left with the corresponding cause of the memory problems on the right. -This event can require more memory and can cause problems if there is not enough memory when it occurs. -Memory is not properly seated or missing/the motherboard is defective. -Incompletely or improperly doing this can cause errors that appear to be memory-related. -The memory is not compatible and was not installed and configured properly.

-This event can require more memory and can cause problems if there is not enough memory when it occurs. Software installation -Memory is not properly seated or missing/the motherboard is defective. First boot of a new computer -Incompletely or improperly doing this can cause errors that appear to be memory-related. Hardware installation or removal -The memory is not compatible and was not installed and configured properly. Memory upgrade

One of the main jobs of the BIOS/UEFI is to help start the system. What is the process used when you turn a computer on?

1. Power is supplied to the processor. The processor is hard-coded to look at a special memory address for the code to execute. 2. This memory address contains a pointer or jump program which instructs the processor where to find the BIOS program. 3. The processor loads the BIOS program. The first BIOS process to run is the power-on self-test (POST) process. POST does the following: 1.Verifies the integrity of the BIOS/UEFI code. 2. Looks for the BIOS on the video card and loads it. This powers the video card and results in information being shown on the monitor. 3. Looks for BIOS programs on other devices, such as hard disk controllers and loads those. 4. Tests system devices, such as verifying the amount of memory on the system. Perhaps you've powered on a PC and gotten a keyboard error because you were leaning up against the keyboard or holding down a key during system boot up. POST was sending that error. The POST was trying to check the keyboard and determined that something was wrong because it was receiving a signal for one particular key character over and over again. POST knew that the keyboard wasn't supposed to do that. So it assumed that something was wrong with the keyboard and displayed the error on the screen. 4. After POST tests complete, the BIOS identifies other system devices. It uses CMOS settings and information supplied by the devices themselves to identify and configure hardware devices. Plug-and-play devices are allocated system resources. 5. Then the BIOS searches for a boot drive using the boot order specified in the CMOS. For example, do you want to boot off of your DVD drive first? Or do you want to boot off of your hard drive first? Maybe you want to boot off of a flash drive. You can configure those things in your CMOS setup program. The BIOS will search for that boot drive using that boot order. Then on that boot device, the BIOS searches for the master boot loader and loads the boot loader program. 6. On the boot device, the BIOS/UEFI searches for the master bootloader, then loads the bootloader program. At this point, the BIOS/UEFI stops controlling the system and passes control to the bootloader program. 7. The bootloader program is configured to locate and load the operating system. The boot loader program is configured to locate and load an operating system off of your boot device, whether it's a CD, DVD, or hard disk. When it finds the operating system, it loads the kernel for that operating system. 8. As the operating system loads, additional steps are taken to load all additional programs and configure devices for use by the operating system. >>From time to time, your PC's manufacturer may release updates to your BIOS firmware. To update the BIOS, you will need to download the update along with a utility provided by your PC manufacturer that is used to rewrite data stored in the BIOS chip. This process is called flashing the BIOS. The actual steps you follow to flash the BIOS will vary by manufacturer. >>You should connect your PC to a UPS before flashing the BIOS. If a power outage occurs during the flash process, it will irrecoverably damage the BIOS and prevent your system from booting.

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.

How do you flash the BIOS?

<<This is a potentially catastrophic operation. It is possible to take a running system that functions reasonably well and have an error occur during the BIOS update process.>> In that case, the programs that we require from the BIOS in order to initially set up the system and let it run will be corrupted and you essentially have a brick. That means that the system will no longer be functional. If the firmware inside of the BIOS chip gets messed up, there's no way to rerun the update routine to fix it because the system won't be able to boot at all. So be warned that this is a dangerous operation. _________ The first thing I need to do is find out who manufactured this system and what model of motherboard we have in it. Then, we'll see if there is a BIOS update available. To find this information, we can use a variety of utilities.[What I'm going to do is look at my System Information. Let's come down here to Search and type msinfo32 and press enter.] With my System Information displayed, I am going to come over here and look at a few things. I have a Windows 10 system, that's important to know. Down here, I see that it is manufactured by Dell and the model is a Latitude E6410. That is all helpful information. Down just a bit further, I can see where it says BIOS version and date. It says Dell Inc. A15 with a date from 2013. That's several years old so there is a good chance there is an update. So let's pay Dell a visit on the web and see what we can find. A note of caution here. Always make sure you are at the manufacturer's official website. There are a lot of fake sites out there that have fake drivers that are full of malware. So be careful. *The process for flashing the BIOS varies from one manufacturer to another. For some of them, you'll have to download an executable like this that runs and updates the BIOS. Other manufacturers may require you to download the BIOS update to a CD or USB. And if you have a really old system, maybe even a floppy drive. You would then set your system to boot off of that storage device instead of the hard disk drive. This will then flash the BIOS for you. Again, just follow the instructions provided by your particular BIOS manufacturer.[For this system, I just need to download the file and save it to my system. But before I do that, let's look at the older versions. You can see here in this list that my older version is listed, the one from 2013. That sort of helps confirm that I have the correct one. Now I'll come over here and click the download link and let my file download. I'll come down and open Explorer. I can see the exe file that downloaded. At this point I think I feel confident enough to update the BIOS, so I'll proceed.] It warns us that we need to close any programs that may be running before flashing the BIOS. Remember, while this BIOS update process is occurring, don't do anything. Don't manually shut down the system. Don't power off the system. Don't unplug the system. Just walk away. Step back and just walk away from the system. Don't touch anything. Let the BIOS update routine do its thing.

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? -You cannot mix memory modules with different ratings. -All memory will operate at 300 MHz. -Half of the memory will operate at 300 MHz, and the other half at 500 MHz. -All memory will operate at 500 MHz.

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.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider CAS latency?

Another factor that affects the performance of memory is the latency associated with accessing data in RAM. *With a read request, there is a delay between the time the data is requested and the time that the data is available on the module's output pins. This delay is called the CAS latency (CL). *Older memory expressed the delay in nanoseconds, but DRAM uses a ratio based on the clock frequency to describe the delay. *For memory modules of the same type and frequency, a lower CAS number indicates less delay (e.g., "faster" RAM). *Because CL is related to the frequency, you cannot directly compare the CAS latency between modules with a different frequency. For example, a DDR2 module operating at 533 MHz with a CL of 6 has more delay than a DDR3 module at 667 MHz with a CL of 7. *In addition to CL, there are other memory characteristics that describe the delay for performing other types of operations. Collectively, these values are referred to as the memory timings. *For stable operations, the bus must take into account these latencies to keep the bus and the memory synchronized. *Manufacturers test memory modules and rate them based on the operating frequency and the timing characteristics. Settings that produce stable performance are then encoded into the SPD module on the memory. The BIOS then reads this information to know how to configure memory settings on the motherboard. *For many systems, you can manually modify the memory timings and frequency. Running RAM at a lower clock speed enables you to decrease the CAS latency setting; increasing the frequency must usually be compensated for by increasing the CL (and other) settings. >>CAS latency specifies the delay between the time that the memory controller tells the memory module to access a particular memory location and the time that the data is actually retrieved and available on the module's output pins. In memory modules, this interval is measured in clock cycles. The time for a memory module to respond to a CAS event might vary for the same memory module, depending upon the clock rate. A special chip on the memory module identifies the timing characteristics of that module. The motherboard is configured to use those timing values when communicating with the memory. Basically speaking, the lower the CAS latency, the better.

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?

Audio pass-through Using a graphics card with an onboard audio processor The following techniques can be used to send an audio signal through the video card: *With audio pass-through, an audio output cable is connected to the video card. The video card combines the audio signal with the video signal for HDMI output. This option is often called HDTV out. *A graphics card with an onboard audio processor can decode and process audio and send it out the HDMI port. This option is often referred to as onboard sound.

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. Unbuffered memory does not have a buffer to hold memory addresses or data before it is transferred to the memory controller. Unbuffered memory can be found in servers and high-end workstation. 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. EEPROM is a RAM chip that holds non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store relatively small amounts of data.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider buffered(registered) RAM?

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). *Buffered RAM might slow system performance. *ECC modules are typically buffered. *Buffered RAM must be supported by the motherboard. *Some motherboards require buffered memory. >>Unbuffered memory does not have a buffer to hold memory addresses or data before it is transferred to the memory controller. Unbuffered memory is used in common workstations and laptops. Buffered memory is used in servers and high-end workstations.

What are legacy buses?

Buses that have been replaced by newer types are considered legacy buses. Legacy buses are rarely used and include the following: *AGP (accelerated graphics port) was a dedicated bus type used by dedicated video cards. *AMR (audio/modem riser) was a riser card that attached to the motherboard and allowed additional cards (called daughter cards) to be installed. *CNR (communications network riser) was a riser card slot that allowed for installing network, sound, or modem functions.

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. The LCD TN monitor with the 144-Hz refresh rate along with the video card with a max refresh rate of 144 Hz will give you the best gaming experience compared to the other options. Remember that in order to achieve a specific refresh rate, the following components must all support the same maximum refresh rate: *Display device *Video card *Display cable Fast-moving graphic applications, such as games, perform best with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher, which is covered by this option. Also, LCD TN panel monitors have a much faster response time, which makes them superior for gaming when compared to LCD IPS panel monitors. The newer video card with a max refresh rate of 240 Hz has some advantages over the older card, but not in combination with the LCD IPS panel monitor. Either option where you keep the 60 Hz monitor, the 75 Hz card, or both will limit system performance to the rate of the slowest component, which will not be sufficient for the fast-moving graphics in the games.

What is 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. The following are important things to know about CMOS: *You changed the data stored in CMOS using a CMOS editor program that was part of the BIOS. *CMOS used to refer to the real-time clock and the CMOS chip that stored system information. Both were powered by a CMOS battery. Now, the EEPROM chip stores the system information that used to be stored on the CMOS chip. EEPROM requires no power to maintain data storage. *The CMOS battery is still used to keep the real-time system clock running when the computer is powered off. It can be a low-voltage dry cell, lithium mounted on the motherboard, or even AA batteries in a housing clipped on a wall inside of the case. The electric current is about 1 millionth of an amp and can provide effective power for years. >>During the computer's startup procedure, you can press one or more keys to open a CMOS editor so you can change the data stored in CMOS memory. This CMOS setup program is part of the BIOS program. The key or keys you press to open the CMOS editor depend on the BIOS manufacturer. The easiest way to find out which key to press is to read the screen as it boots or to consult the motherboard documentation. The most common keys are Delete, Insert, F1, and F2.

What will checking the memory timing parameters tell you?

Checking the memory timing parameters for a given memory module will help you determine how well it will perform. The memory timing parameters measure the performance of memory using four parameters in units of clock cycles. Timings are often expressed as a series of four numbers for memory like this, 5-5-5-15. Each of these numbers stands for a different type of delay The second number is tRCD, or the Row address to Column address Delay. This measures the number of clock cycles required to open a row of memory and access the columns within it. The third number refers to the tRP, or the Row Precharge time. This measures the number of clock cycles required between the issuing of the precharge command and the opening of the next row. The fourth number refers to the tRAS, or the Row Active time. This is the number of clock cycles required between a row active command and the issuing of the precharge command. You can use the numbers assigned to these four parameters to compare the performance of two different memory modules.

What are common reasons for editing the CMOS settings?

Common reasons for editing the CMOS settings are: -To change the boot device order. -To enable or disable motherboard devices. -To add a password to the setup program to prevent unauthorized access. >>If you set a BIOS/UEFI password and then forget it, you will be unable to edit CMOS settings. To remove the password for most motherboards, move or remove a jumper, then replace it after a specific period of time. -To configure processor or memory settings (e.g., when you need to set operating speeds or when you want to overclock hardware settings). -(In rare cases) To manually configure device properties for legacy devices.

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. The system case power button connects to jumper pins on the motherboard. When you press the power button, the cable sends the power on signal to the computer. If the power button was connected, you would typically hear fans start up and see lights come on as the system boots. Even without a processor fan, memory, or a keyboard or mouse, you would still see or hear something if the system had power.

What is DirectX/OpenGL?

DirectX is a collection of application program interfaces (APIs) that improves graphic, animation, and multimedia creations. *DirectX includes multiple components targeted to a different aspect of multimedia. For example, Direct3D is the 3D rendering component of DirectX. *Applications (typically games) are written using features included in specific DirectX versions. *To view content written to a specific DirectX version, your video card must also support that (or a higher) version. >>OpenGL is an alternative standard to DirectX that is used by some applications. Most video cards support both DirectX and OpenGL. >>These are the 2 most common 3D APIs

Which of the following video card connectors provides digital video output?

DVI-D HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a digital video and audio connector used for high-definition digital audio and video. A DVI-D (digital video-digital) connection provides digital output. A DVI-I (digital video-integrated) connection also provides digital output as it sends both a digital and an analog signal. Most video cards have DVI-I ports that allow you to connect both digital and analog monitors. A DVI-A (digital video-analog) connection is used only for analog video signals, and will be found on cables but rarely (if ever) a video card itself. A composite video connection on a video card provides analog, video-only TV output in a single channel. S-video (separate-video, Y/C, or S-VHS) supply analog, video-only TV output in two channels. An HDTV connector supplies analog, video-only TV output in three separate channels.

How do video cards use memory?

Dedicated video cards use high-speed memory to store graphic data. The amount of memory on the card affects performance as well as other characteristics. *The amount of memory on a card can be as low as 1 GB or as high as 12 GB. *Dedicated video cards use the following types of memory: -DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 memory are similar to system memory. This type of memory is cheaper, but provides less performance features than special graphics memory. -GDDR2, GDDR3, and GDDR5 are DDR memory specifically designed and optimized for graphical data. This memory is more expensive, but results in better performance. >>Integrated graphics (onboard video cards) share system memory with the CPU for video processing.

What are configurable devices?

Devices with parameters that can be changed or upgraded from time-to-time. The BIOS can't handle these parameters alone because the presence of the device, the quantities, or parameters may change from system to system. For example, we can have 1 GB of memory in one machine and 4 GB in another machine. We can have a 40 GB or 250 GB hard drive installed in the system. If we had only a BIOS, then theoretically, if we changed anything in the system like adding more memory or adding a bigger hard drive, then we'd have to install a new BIOS chip that supported the new parameters associated with those new devices because the BIOS isn't re-writable. Instead, PCs use a second RAM chip in conjunction to the ROM chip that can be written to and read from. These chips are called EEPROM chips. However, most people still refer to them as CMOS.

What should you do with an expansion slot cover?

Don't want to throw away this expansion slot cover. If sometime in the future we decide we want to remove this expansion card, we will need to cover the open hole by reinstalling the expansion slot cover. Computer cases cool components using a negative pressure system. If this hole were to be left open, or if any of these other expansion covers were left off, the negative pressure system would be disrupted and the cooling ability of the case would be reduced.

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

EEPROM chips EEPROM chips are a non-volatile memory technology for saving system settings when the computer is powered off. EEPROM are ROM chips that have replaced CMOS chips (which needed the CMOS battery power to save system settings). Now, the CMOS battery is only used to keep the real-time clock running.

What does it mean when 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.

What does it mean when the system boot fails and sounds a beep code?

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

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) Memory modules are very sensitive to ESD. It is possible that the memory modules have already been damaged by the possible lack of proper ESD prevention if the user removed the modules from the packaging while standing on the carpeted floor. But you can still take proper steps to prevent ESD before you proceed to install the modules. The CRT monitor is not likely to emit a high voltage discharge unless you take it apart. An unused CRT monitor does not emit a strong magnetic field, and memory modules are not susceptible to magnetic fields. Memory modules are not susceptible to electromagnetic interference.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider error correcting code?

Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory is a type of memory that detects and corrects the common kinds of internal data corruption. ECC memory is also called parity memory. Using ECC, a value is appended to the end of each byte so that the value of the data can be compared and recalculated if an error occurs. ECC is an improvement on parity techniques because errors in more than one bit can be detected and corrected. Keep in mind the following facts about error correcting memory: *Memory modules with ECC have extra memory chips on the module (typically 9 modules instead of 8). If the number of chips is divisible by 3 or 5, the module is ECC memory. *ECC or parity memory must be supported by the motherboard. *Because it is more expensive than non-ECC, ECC memory is typically used only in servers. *ECC memory is slower than non-ECC memory. *Do not mix ECC and non-ECC memory in a system. Mixing ECC and non-ECC memory disables the error correction function. >>You might hear the terms parity and ECC being used interchangeably. However, parity RAM only checks for errors while ECC RAM checks and corrects errors. >>Using ECC will decrease the performance of your system by two percent while non-ECC does not affect the performance at all.

What are expansion cards?

Expansion cards are used to expand a computer's functionality or increase its performance. Expansion cards are installed into the expansion slot on a motherboard. Expansion cards and slots use different expansion bus standards that define communication specifications as well as physical characteristics. Technology in the computer world advances extremely fast. The high-end computer you bought a month ago can suddenly become a thing of the past when the next new technology is released. Luckily, computers have a way to keep up with new technology and features by using expansion cards. Expansion cards are circuit boards that are designed to fulfill a specific role, such as sound processing or graphics processing. These cards are often called dedicated cards and are installed into a motherboard's expansion slot. Most expansion bus standards aren't compatible with each other. Because of this, it's important for you to be able to identify the bus type used by a particular expansion card or expansion slot. There are some physical characteristics you can look for to do this. For expansion cards, we look at the characteristics of the insertion tab. For expansion slots on the motherboard, you look at its length and how it's keyed.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider frequency?

For optimal performance, you should match the memory frequency (sometimes called the speed) with the frequency supported by the system bus/memory controller. *You can install slower memory in the motherboard, but this will degrade performance. *You can install faster memory in the motherboard, but it will operate only up to the maximum supported by the motherboard. *When you mix memory with different frequencies, all memory will operate at the lowest frequency. *Most memory modules include an EEPROM chip that identifies its frequency. The BIOS uses the information in this chip to set the frequency automatically. *On many systems, you can edit the BIOS manually to change the frequency. *If the BIOS does not configure memory to run at its highest rated speed, then do the following: -Verify that the motherboard supports that speed. You might be able to update the BIOS to support faster memory. -The serial presence detect (SPD) on the memory is often set below the maximum rating for the memory. To use the maximum speed settings, you might need to manually configure the speed and timing settings for the memory (if the motherboard allows you to do this).

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? An SLI video card can be linked with a CrossFire video card. For the best performance, both video cards should be identical. The motherboard should support either SLI or CrossFire. Linking only shares memory resources, not GPU resources. Linking video cards also provides additional video output ports.

For the best performance, both video cards should be identical. The motherboard should support either SLI or CrossFire. For increased performance, especially in games, multiple video cards can be linked together using a special bridge clip. This allows multiple GPUs to draw a single screen. For the best performance, both video cards should be identical. In addition, the motherboard must be compatible with either SLI (used by NVIDA cards) or CrossFire (used by AMD cards). Because each cards is sharing the processing load, the memory banks and GPU in both video cards are being used. In a multi-GPU configuration, the secondary (bottom) card's display connectors are typically disabled.

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?

From Windows Administrative Tools, you can open Computer Management > System Tools > Device Manager, from which the device driver for the new video card can be installed. System Configuration controls the initial startup, the boot files, and services loaded along with other tasks. Component Services is used to access the local Event Viewer to examine Administrative Events and system logs. Resource Monitor is a utility that displays information about the use of hardware and software resources in real time.

Which type of software-generated problems can indicate that a software bug is causing a memory error?

General-protection fault Page fault Exception error Software-generated memory problems include the following: -Exception error -General-protection fault -Page fault Registry errors indicate that parts of the registry are written to faulty sections of RAM. Parity interrupt usually indicates a failing module or discrepancies between new and old memory. An incorrect memory count can happen with incompatible memory installation; remember to avoid combining dual-bank memory with single-bank memory.

What is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)?

HDCP is a method for protecting digital media. The purpose of HDCP is to prevent the interception and copying of protected data streams as they are sent from a playback device to a display device (e.g., from a DVD player to an HDTV). *When playing protected content from a PC, the DVD player, video card, and display device must all support HDCP. *If you plan on watching protected content on your PC, or playing content from your PC to an external TV, make sure the video card supports HDCP.

How are audio signals sent through a video card?

HDMI cables are able to carry both video and audio signals; however, most video cards send only a video signal. The following techniques can be used to send an audio signal through the video card: *With audio pass-through, an audio output cable is connected to the video card. The video card combines the audio signal with the video signal for HDMI output. This option is often called HDTV out. *A graphics card with an onboard audio processor can decode and process audio and send it out the HDMI port. This option is often referred to as onboard sound.

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 With audio pass-through, an audio output cable is connected to the video card. The video card combines the audio signal with the video signal for HDMI output. This option is often called HDTV out. Multi-GPU links video cards together to share the graphic processing load between the two GPUs. DirectX is a collection of application program interfaces (APIs) that improves graphic, animation, and multimedia creations. OpenGL is an alternative standard to DirectX that is used by some applications. Most video cards support both DirectX and OpenGL. HDCP is a method for protecting digital media.

How can you test to see which memory module is bad?

If you suspect that you have a bad memory module, you need to test the system to see which one it is. There are two different ways to test memory modules. One option is to remove memory modules from the system, one at a time, until the error goes away. However, this method can take some time to yield results. Sometimes it can take days or weeks to experience enough errors to identify exactly which module is causing the problem, especially if the problem is intermittent. A better option is to use a hardware or software memory tester to test each memory module. A hardware tester has memory slots that you plug your memory modules into. During the testing cycle, it'll check all the memory locations on the memory module and report whether or not the memory module is bad or good. There are also software memory testers that you can use. Some BIOS or UEFI chips include memory-testing software you can use right from the motherboard firmware. You can also download and run software memory testers from the internet. Typically, you boot the system from an optical disk containing a minimal Linux operating system kernel along with the memory-testing application and run the test from within that environment.

How do you install Memory?

If you wanted to, you could install the CPU first and then install the memory modules later. It doesn't matter because neither one will work without the other. They both have to be installed before you can turn the system on. he first thing you have to do is find the memory slots on the motherboard. Before you start putting modules in, you first have to decide how you're going to install the modules in the system. *At this point, you've got to check your motherboard documentation. It's going to tell you how the memory modules need to be installed. Generally speaking, you should populate the first memory slot first. How do you know which one is the first memory slot? You can either look at the motherboard itself or check your motherboard documentation. Some motherboards will label the first memory slot as DIMM 0 or maybe DIMM 1. Other motherboards might name it Memory 0 or Memory 1; or RAM 0 or RAM 1. Check your specific documentation to find out. One key thing you can look for is the fact that most motherboards, not all, but most motherboards are manufactured so that the first memory slot is the slot that's closest to the CPU. Here's the key thing that you need to remember. If you install a single memory module, the system will use that memory. However, it will do so in single-channel mode, which is really slow. If you install multiple modules in the wrong slot, the system will also run in single-channel mode, which is very slow. If you install memory modules of mismatched sizes in the right slots, the system will still run in single-channel mode. You can really speed up the performance of a system by configuring your system memory to run in dual-, triple-, or quad-channel mode, depending on what your motherboard supports. To do this, the memory modules have to be installed in matching sets, having exactly the same capacity and exactly the same speed. Preferably, the memory module should be the same make and model from the same manufacturer. The way you install the modules will depend on the number of memory channels supported by your motherboard and the number of slots available. For example, if your motherboard supports a dual-channel configuration and it has four memory slots, then you would install two identical modules in the first set of slots. If your motherboard supports a dual-channel configuration and it has four slots, then you would install two identical modules in the first set of slots. A key thing to remember is that memory modules in the same set must be identical to each other. You can typically use different capacity modules between different sets. For example, in a dual-channel configuration, you could use two 2 GB modules in the first set, which would be installed in DIMM 0 and DIMM 2. Then two 1 GB modules in the second set of slots, in DIMM 1 and DIMM 3. This would provide a total of 6 GB of RAM in the system. With triple-channel memory, you have to install three identical modules at one time. Likewise, if we are working with quad-channel memory, then you have to install four identical modules at a time. *Next, access your BIOS or UEFI firmware configuration. You want to make sure that the memory was detected correctly. There are several different things you should look for. First of all, was all of the memory detected properly? For example, if you installed 16 GB of RAM in the slots on the motherboard, check and see that all 16 GB were detected. Second, is the memory channel configuration working correctly? For example, in this system, if I configured a quad-channel configuration, I should check the firmware configuration and make sure that the memory is actually running in quad-channel mode.

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. In this scenario, the most likely cause is the operating system being a 32-bit operating system. You must use a 64-bit operating system to use memory above 4 GB. The AGP aperture is a method for sharing system memory with an AGP video card instead of PCIe. With shared memory, some of the memory is used by the video card and is not available for the system. You do not update memory controller drivers.

What should you not do when installing an expansion card?

It's important not to force the card into the slot. Don't rock it back and forth, or try to bang it into place. Doing this can damage the connectors or other components inside the case. Also, it's important not to be too gentle. If you stop pushing whenever you feel the slightest bit of resistance, the card won't be seated properly, and at the very least, won't work. At worst, the connections will short and damage the card. The key is to firmly and steadily press straight down until the card is seated all the way into the slot.

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. In this case, you should check to ensure that you installed the memory correctly. Most BIOS programs include a memory count that displays the total amount of system memory. If it does not count the proper amount of memory, begin by checking to make sure the memory is inserted correctly. After the memory is installed correctly, if it is still not recognized, try removing one module to identify which module has the problem. Move the modules to different motherboard slots to see if you can get the system to detect the memory. In most cases, you will not need to change the memory timings. When you do, it is typically because the system is unstable or crashes. Testing memory helps you identify when specific memory storage locations are going bad. Device Manager will not enable memory the BIOS does not recognize.

What are some common 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 mismatch error -Memory parity interrupt at x -Memory address error at x -Memory failure at x, read y, expecting z -Memory verify error at x

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. To use dual-channel memory, you will need to install memory in the correct slots. Depending on the motherboard, the two slots might be next to each other or alternating. Consult the motherboard documentation for the correct configuration. Dual-channel support is mainly a function of the motherboard, not the memory itself. Continuity modules are used with Rambus RAM; if continuity modules were required on this system, none of the memory would have been detected. The CAS latency is used for memory timing. You might modify the timing if the system is unstable at the current memory timing settings.

What are 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.

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

PCI PCI buses are most commonly used for devices such as sound cards, modems, and network cards. The AGP and VESA expansion buses are most commonly used for video. ISA buses were used to connect peripheral cards to the motherboard, but are considered a legacy device and are no longer available in newer systems.

What is Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)?

PCI was developed to replace the obsolete ISA and VESA bus standards. PCI: *Is processor independent, meaning the CPU and PCI bus can process concurrently *Supports plug-and-play, meaning installed devices are detected and configured automatically *Is used most commonly by devices such as sound cards, modems, network cards, and storage device controllers *Can run at 33 MHz and transfer data at 133 MBps or run at 66 MHz and transfer data at 266 MBps

What is PCI Express (PCIe)?

PCIe was developed to replace PCI, PCI-X, and AGP. Instead of a shared bus, each PCIe slot links to a switch that prioritizes and routes data through a point-to-point dedicated connection and provides a serial, full-duplex method of transmission. PCIe uses several different connection types. *PCIe types are defined by the number of transmission lanes that are used to transfer data. For example, PCIe x1 provides one lane for transmission (x1), while PCIe x16 provides sixteen lanes for transmission. PCIe defines x2, x4, x8, x16, and x32 connection types. *PCIe data rates depend on the protocol version and number of transmission lanes: -1.0: 250 MBps (x1); 4 GBps (x16) -2.0: 500 MBps (x1); 8 GBps (x16) -3.0: 1 GBps (x1); 16 GBps (x16) -4.0: 2 GBps (x1); 32 GBps (x16) *In addition to greatly increased speed, PCIe offers higher quality service. *PCIe can run alongside legacy PCI technology (e.g., both PCIe and PCI buses can be in the same system). *PCIe x1 slots are typically used for network cards, USB cards, and sound cards. PCIe x16 slots are primarily used for dedicated video cards. >>PCIe cards are cross-size compatible, as long as the slot size is the same or larger than the card size. For example, a PCIe x1 card can be installed in a PCIe x16 slot, but a PCIe x16 card cannot be installed in a PCIe x1 slot.

What is parity RAM?

Parity RAM is no longer used. Today, PC systems use ECC for error detection and correction.

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. The primary benefit of a riser card is that, by installing expansion cards parallel to the motherboard, it's possible to create a low-profile design. Communications and Networking Riser (CNR) is a type of expansion slot found on some motherboards that is used for network and sound expansion boards. Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMIA) cards were used several years ago to add devices to laptops. VESA Local Bus was also a type of expansion slot found on older motherboards that was primarily used for the video interface.

What is SMART?

SMART is used to monitor the overall health of your storage device in the system because hard disk drives or mechanical devices wear out over time. SMART keeps track of which areas on the hard disk drive have worn out and have been remapped to reserve areas on the hard disk drive. When you're starting to run out of reserve areas on the hard disk drive you'll start getting SMART errors. But, you have to have SMART reporting enabled in order for that to happen. It warns you before the hard drive fails that the hard drive is in a state where it's going to fail pretty soon.

What is SPD?

SPD is information stored on an EEPROM chip when a computer is booted. EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory. It is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store small amounts of data that must be saved when power is removed. The EEPROM chip is located on the SDRAM memory module. It communicates to the BIOS the module size, data width, speed, and voltage use to configure the module memory controller for maximum reliability and performance. In some systems, you can go into the BIOS through the CMOS setup program and override the values that are being reported by the EEPROM chip on the memory. Overriding the values will allow you to increase performance that the SPD is reporting back to the BIOS. But if you do that, you may also decrease the stability of the system, because you'll be pushing the memory faster and harder than it was designed to do. In some cases, you could just do the opposite. If you have a system that is unstable, then you can override the SPD values to lower the performance and not push the memory as hard, possibly increasing stability.

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

Saves information about system devices. The CMOS saves information about system devices. The BIOS tests hardware during system startup, coordinates the use of system hardware with the operating system, and loads the operating system into memory.

What is secure boot?

Secure Boot is a very important feature of a newer system that uses the UEFI firmware instead of the older BIOS firmware. Secure Boot prevents the firmware from loading an operating system off the hard disk drive unless it has the appropriate security certificate for that operating system. Secure Boot is designed to prevent malicious attacks on the system. It prevents an attack either through a root kit type of malware or from the attacker booting the system off an optical disk or a USB drive. We talked about this second type of attack earlier. It is where an attacker boots using a different operating system to bypass your security mechanism and access the data on your hard drive. So by default, this option is usually turned on which is usually fine if you're running Windows. f you want to install some other operating system on the hard disk drive instead of Windows it can cause problems. For example, some Linux distributions are not UEFI compliant. If you tried to install those distributions on this hard disk drive they won't boot because your UEFI firmware does not have a security certificate for the operating system, so the system won't boot it. In that situation you would turn Secure Boot off. Technically turning it off does make the system less secure but it allows that different operating system to boot.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider Single or Double sided RAM?

Single-sided RAM has memory modules that are organized into a single logical bank; double-sided RAM has modules organized into two banks. *The computer can access data in only one bank at a time. Therefore, single-sided RAM allows access to all of the memory, while with double-sided RAM, the computer must switch between banks. *Originally, double-sided RAM had modules on both sides of the circuit board, and single-sided RAM had modules on only one side. However, you can also have double-sided RAM with modules on only one side, where the memory is divided into separate banks internally. *Single-sided memory of the same capacity as double-sided memory uses half the number of memory modules (modules are denser, with a higher individual capacity). *Some older motherboards are unable to use double-sided memory, while some that allow double-sided memory can use only up to half the total memory when all memory slots are filled, or mixing single- and double-sided together might not be allowed. *Most motherboards support both single- and double-sided memory. However, verify compatibility before purchasing.

What are software generated 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. >>For software errors, check to see if the memory address indicated in the error is consistently the same. If so, check the memory. Otherwise, reboot the system or update the software.

What do some video boards require from the power supply?

Some video boards do require either a six pin, or an eight pin dedicated power connection from the power supply. Some video boards do not need this, as the power supplied through the expansion slot is enough.

What is multi-GPU?

Some video cards can be linked together and share the graphic processing load between the two GPUs. *Multi-GPU configurations are manufacturer-specific: -NVIDIA uses SLI (Scalable Link Interface). -AMD uses CrossFire. *Video cards are linked using a special bridge clip or through software (depending on the implementation). *The motherboard and each video card must use the same connection method (SLI or CrossFire). The motherboard must also have multiple PCIe x16 slots. *In most cases, both video cards must be identical. >>Some motherboards allow you to link an integrated graphics controller with a video card installed in the expansion slot; however, this offers a negligible performance boost. >>Multi-GPU configurations can get very expensive and really benefit only high-end PC gaming systems.

What does the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) do?

The BIOS is a legacy program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) chip that the CPU automatically loads and executes when it receives power. Important things to know about the BIOS are: *The BIOS program controls the startup process and loads the operating system into memory. *The BIOS is firmware. *You should frequently check for BIOS updates from the manufacturer. Updating the BIOS (called flashing the BIOS) makes new features available, such as allowing the BIOS to recognize newer hardware devices. *Most BIOS chips vary from 265 KB to 1 MB in size. *Video cards include a BIOS chip on the device. These devices have their own ROM chip called an option ROM (OpROM).

What is the difference between BIOS and CMOS?

The CMOS contains the parameters that BIOS programs need in order to access certain devices. The BIOS, on the other hand, contains programs that the CPU needs in order to communicate with various devices on the motherboard. The BIOS is hard-wired ROM memory, read-only memory, so it cannot be rewritten. For example, let's say we add a new hard drive into our system. Because this new hard drive has different parameters from the one that was there before, we need to update the CMOS with the new parameters for the new hard drive so that the CPU can access the hard drive. The CPU loads the appropriate programs from the BIOS. Since these programs need the parameters that the CMOS already has, these programs contact the CMOS and ask it for the location where data can be stored on the new hard drive. Whenever you add a new component, you can change the values that are stored in the CMOS and the CMOS will relay these configuration changes to the BIOS. The CMOS is also where your system clock runs from. Have you ever looked down to the bottom right corner of your screen to see what time it is? Your operating system pulls that time from the CMOS. On older systems, the CMOS would lose its BIOS settings if it lost power, so a coin battery was used to provide a small amount of power to the CMOS while the computer was off. This battery is called the CMOS battery. However, since we use EEPROM chips instead of CMOS chips, the configuration information is not lost at shut down. EEPROM is a type of flash memory and won't lose any BIOS settings when the power is off.

What handles the video rendering tasks?

The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles all video rendering tasks. GPUs are much more efficient at processing graphic data than a traditional CPU. *Using the GPU to render graphics is often referred to as video hardware acceleration. *Settings in the operating system can be used to control how much video processing is offloaded to the GPU. *GPUs have a clock speed that is rated in MHz. A higher speed means better performance.

How does the CPU communicate with the other hardware?

The CPU inside the PC doesn't know how to directly communicate with the other devices that are installed on the motherboard. Furthermore, the CPU doesn't know how to contact RAM or the storage devices connected to the motherboard. In order for the CPU to do this, it needs software. It needs programming. And it needs a set of instructions that tell it how to communicate with these devices. The problem is that the CPU can't store the software in the RAM or disk because it doesn't know how to communicate with the RAM or the hard disk natively. So, it can't load the software it needs to communicate with these devices from these devices. what we do is implement a special chip in the motherboard called a ROM chip. ROM stands for Read-only Memory. A ROM chip is kind of like a RAM chip, a Random Access Memory chip. However, a ROM chip retains its contents even if the system is powered off. This is called persistent data. A RAM chip loses its content when the PC is turned off. However, ROM chips, unlike RAM chips, can't be written to. Whatever was written on that ROM chip when it left the factory, is what's there. You can't add information to it. ROM chips installed in the motherboard contain hundreds of little programs that were burned into the ROM before it left the factory. These little programs allow the CPU to communicate with various devices attached to the motherboard like the keyboard, the disk drives, and the memory. The CPU reads the information from the ROM chip the same way it reads information from the RAM. All of the hundreds of little programs stored on the ROM chip are collectively referred to as the basic input-output services or BIOS chip. Most of the ROM chips used by PC systems with a BIOS vary from 365 KB to 1 MB in size. Now, in the industry, we say BIOS chip, but the BIOS is not really the ROM chip itself. The BIOS is really the software on the ROM chip.

What is Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)?

The EEPROM is a RAM chip that replaced the CMOS chip. Important things about EEPROM are: *EEPROM is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store relatively small amounts of data. *EEPROM allows individual bytes to be erased and reprogrammed. *EEPROM replaced EPROM chips and are used for computer BIOS built after 1994. *EEPROM chips allow you to update the BIOS/UEFI in your computer without having to open the computer and remove any chips.

What does a GPU do?

The GPU's job is to process all graphical information and output it to a display. Because that generates a lot of heat, GPU's have heatsinks and fans on them to keep them cool.

What does it mean when 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. >>The system will check only for memory installed in memory slots on the motherboard. Memory that is on expansion cards or installed on other devices will not be counted and tested.

What does the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) do?

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.

What is PCI-X?

The X stands for extended. PCI-X cards and slots are double the length of the standard PCI interface. PCI-X has double the transfer speeds of standard PCI. The PCI and PCI-X interfaces are somewhat older interfaces. While you'll still find PCI slots in most desktop computers, PCI-X slots are usually found only in server systems.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider capacity?

The capacity (sometimes called the size) refers to the storage capacity of the memory module (e.g., 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB). The total capacity of memory that you can install in your system is limited by: *The number of memory slots on the motherboard. *The maximum total capacity that can be installed. For example, most systems will have a maximum capacity of between 3 GB and 16 GB of RAM. *The maximum module capacity. For example, the motherboard might only be able to accept up to 2 GB or 4 GB modules. *The maximum amount of memory that can be addressed (used) by the operating system. A 32-bit operating system can use between 3 GB and 4 GB of memory, while a 64-bit operating system can use more. >>You can install more than 4 GB of memory in a system that uses a 32-bit operating system; however, the operating system will be able to use only between 3 GB and 4 GB of that memory. >>If your motherboard had a total of three slots, with a maximum module size of 1 GB and a system maximum of 3 GB, and if you had two 512 MB modules installed, you would be able to add only a single 1 GB module bringing the total up to 2 GB. You could also replace one or both of the 512 MB modules bringing the total to 2.5 or 3 GB respectively.

Why does a computer clock's time drift?

The clock isn't perfect. Time will drift. If it drifts too much you may need to come in here and reset the date and time. if the time was right at one time and has since drifted a lot into the past. It is possible that that battery that runs the real time clock on the motherboard is going bad. It's not providing enough voltage and you should change that battery immediately. If that battery goes completely dead, then all of the settings that you make over here, all the user configurable settings within your firmware configuration interface will be lost. Hard drives may not appear and the date and time will reset to sometime way in the past and so on.

How does the video card affect the Display quality?

The quality of images and animations is determined by both the video card and the external display. When selecting a video card, the following specifications should be considered: *The resolution is the number of pixels displayed on screen. A higher resolution means that more information can be shown on the screen. A video card is rated by its max resolution, which is the highest possible resolution it can display (e.g., 1920 × 1080 or 4096 × 2160). *The refresh rate is the number of times in one second that the GPU draws a frame. Refresh rates are measured in hertz. A refresh rate of 70 Hz or lower may cause eye fatigue. An optimal refresh rate is between 75 Hz and 85 Hz. >>For optimal image quality and graphic performance, it is best to select a display that matches the video card specifications, and vice versa.

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?

The quality of video is determined by both the video card and the external display. When selecting a video card, the following specifications should be considered: *Resolution: the number of pixels displayed on the screen. A higher resolution means that more information can be shown on the screen (screen "real estate"). A video card is rated by its max resolution, which is the highest possible resolution it can display (e.g., 1920 x 1080 or 4096 x 2160). A video editor is going to need as much real estate as you can afford. *Refresh rate: the number of times in one second that the GPU draws a frame. Refresh rates are measured in hertz. A refresh rate of 70 Hz or lower may cause eye fatigue. An optimal refresh rate is between 75 Hz and 85 Hz. >>The display specifications should match the video card specifications. Memory, GPU configuration, and display connection type are all factors that will contribute to video performance or compatibility with the display. But these factors do not directly determine the display quality.

What does the video memory do?

The video memory is used to store graphic information that needs to be accessed extremely fast. Video cards can have anywhere between 1 GB and 12 GB of video memory.

What is the problem with completely disabling the integrated video adapter?

There are several different settings that are usually available, it varies between motherboards. For example, most systems can be configured to use the integrated adapter on the motherboard only if a dedicated expansion board has not been installed in an expansion slot. This is usually the best option to choose, if it's provided, in your motherboard's firmware configuration. Using this option means as long as the board is in the slot, it will use that board. If that board is removed for some reason, then it will default back to using the integrated video adapter in the motherboard. Completely disabling the integrated video adapter works fine, as long as you have a dedicated video board installed. if you take the video board out at some point, or if it fails for some reason, then you lose all of your video output. You can no longer access your BIOS or UEFI firmware configuration to re-enable the integrated adapter on the motherboard.

What are custom devices?

These include devices like sound cards, network adapters and video cards. There's an endless variety of different types of cards that can be inserted into the expansion slots of the PC. Within each category like sound boards, there's an endless variety of different models that can be installed. You can buy a sound card from this manufacturer or that manufacturer. They all do the same thing, but they're built slightly differently. The problem with custom devices is that there's no feasible way to build a BIOS ROM chip or a CMOS RAM chip that's extensive enough to accommodate every last different type of device that you could possibly put in the PC. So, your PC system uses one of two strategies to allow the CPU to communicate with these types of devices. The first strategy is to put Option ROM or OPROM into the devices. OPROM is firmware run by the PC BIOS during platform initialization. Option ROM is usually stored on a plugin card but it can also reside on the system board. Devices like video cards, network adapters, and storage drivers for RAID modules contain OPROM. Option ROM also provides firmware drivers to the PC. A second strategy is to use device drivers. This is the more common strategy used for sound cards, network adapters, and all kinds of other devices. In this case, we aren't really using the BIOS to address these devices. Instead, we're using a device driver which is a piece of software that's loaded by the operating system. It tells the CPU how to address the sound card or how to address the network board.

What are non-configurable devices?

These types of devices can be handled by the BIOS alone. Because the parameters don't change, nothing has to be changed in the programming that allows the CPU to communicate with that given device. These are devices such as the keyboard, or the system speaker, not audio speakers that you listen to music through, but the speaker that is built into the PC case that provides a simple beeping sound.

How do you run the diagnostic utility on a dell system?

To run the diagnostic utility on a Dell system, you press F12 at power-on and then select Diagnostics from the one-time boot menu. This is done in a pre-Windows environment and does not connect to the internet.

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?

To use over 4 GB of memory, you will need a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit operating system. 32-bit processors support up to (or slightly below) 4 GB of memory. While 6 GB of memory will likely use DDR2, DDR3, or DDR4, this is not a requirement. Triple channel memory uses three memory controllers to improve memory performance. ECC memory includes error correction on the memory.

What is configure POST behavior?

Under POST Behavior we can configure how the system behaves when it boots up. One of the features that you may want to look at is Extend BIOS POST Time. By default it's set to 0 seconds. That means there is no delay as the system boots. No delay really doesn't give you time to press the keystroke to access the configuration interface. For your users that may be a good thing. You don't want that message displayed for very long. However, there may be situations when you need that message displayed for a longer period of time so you have time to press the appropriate key. In which case, you could change it from 0 seconds to 5 or maybe even 10 seconds. If you do that, be aware that it does slow down the boot process because the system's going to sit there for five or 10 seconds before it finishes booting up.

What does the performance settings do?

Under Performance there are several different processor-specific performance options we can configure. The performance options you'll see within the firmware configuration interface on your system will vary depending upon the manufacturer of the processor and the model of the processor. Now if this is a Core i7 processor. It has two cores. If we go to Multi Core Support, you can see that on this processor we can either turn Multi Core Support on or off. If you turn it on, both cores in the CPU are being used. If you want your processor to run in first gear for some reason, you could turn this option off. In that case, only one core within the CPU would be used. We can also configure HyperThread Control.

What is flashing a BIOS?

Updating the firmware within the BIOS chip with newest version of the software that runs within the BIOS chip.

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. Using an adapter to connect the DVI-D connector on the video adapter to the HDMI port provides the best quality output at the lowest cost. Because DVI-D and HDMI both use digital signaling, the signal is not degraded during conversion. In fact, HDMI was specifically designed to support DVI-D signaling. DVI-D to HDMI converters can be purchased for less than $20.00 USD. Using a DVI-D-to-VGA adapter would allow you to connect the video board to the monitor; however, this type of adapter must convert digital signals to analog signals, which would likely degrade the signal slightly. Purchasing a new monitor with a DVI-D port would provide a high-quality signal, but would cost much more than the other alternatives.

What should you do after installing the expansion card?

Using the screw that was unscrewed to take out the slot cover, screw it back into place. This step is very important. Even though the card is seated and will work without the screw in place, it's very easy to dislodge it by bumping the card or connecting cables to it. This is dangerous as it can ruin not only the card, but also other components inside the case. By securing it in place with the screw, we ensure that this won't happen.

How do video cards use display connectors?

Video cards have one or more connectors for attaching an external display. Always try to select a video card with connectors that match your display. *VGA monitors use a VGA (DB-15) connector. *LCD and LED monitors use one (or more) of the following connectors: -DVI-Integrated (DVI-I) connector -HDMI connector (also used by HDTVs) -DisplayPort connector >>DVI-I connectors are able to send either analog or digital signals. Older video cards might use DVI-A (analog) or DVI-D (digital) connectors. >>Some video cards have dual heads (two output connectors capable of displaying video simultaneously) and are able to support dual monitors. >>If necessary, you can use special connector adapters to convert from one connector type to another (e.g., DVI to HDMI). However, it's usually best to match the connector type of the video card with the display connectors.

How does bus type affect video cards?

Video cards must be compatible with the expansion slots on the motherboard. Common slot types used by video cards include the following: -PCIe x16 -PCI -AGP and VESA (used by older video cards) >>Motherboards with integrated graphics embed the functionality with the buses on the system (e.g., PCIe, AGP, or PCI).

What do video cards do?

Video cards process graphical information for output to an external display. Video cards can be implemented as a dedicated expansion board or integrated with other components (e.g., the motherboard or CPU). Video cards are responsible for generating a computer's visual output. This visual output can be as basic as a line of text on a screen or as complex as an immersive, 3D PC game. Processing graphics for a PC game is a lot more demanding than processing graphics for a text program. Video cards are composed of two main components: a graphics processing unit, GPU, and video memory. The video board generates a lot of heat in the system, second only to the CPU itself. So, you need to make sure that the system has adequate cooling capacity, to keep everything from overheating.

What is virtualization support?

Virtualization Support enables you to run virtual machines on this system. It can be a really useful tool if you're developing apps, developing training, and so on. It basically allows you to run multiple instances of different operating systems all at the same time, all in the same CPU. For this to work you do have to turn virtualization on. Some CPUs will have it turned on by default, others will not. This one did not have it turned on by default. If I want to turn it on, I select Enable Intel Virtualization Technology and click Apply. For these to be applied when the system boots, we have to do two things. First we have to save the changes and then we have to reboot the system. The way you do that will vary depending upon the make and model of your system. Within some firmware configuration interfaces, you have to press a particular keystroke, like F10, to save the change. In this configuration interface, we click Exit and the changes are saved.

What does the USB configuration settings do in BIOS/UEFI settings?

We can decide how we want the USB ports on the back of the motherboard to operate. For example, we may want that USB port to operate in USB 3.0 mode so we can get the best speed possible. In this case we'd want to make sure that we select the option Enable USB3.0 Controller. If we want to be able to boot the system off of a USB port, which is great from a hardware technician standpoint, then we would select the Enable Boot Support. However, from a security standpoint this is not that great of an option. It potentially allows an attacker or a malicious insider to insert a USB drive with an operating system on it into a USB port and boot the system from that drive. The attacker could potentially access the data on the system hard disk drive, going around the various authentication and security mechanisms you've implemented on the system. For security reasons you probably want to turn this off. In fact, a lot of system administrators who are really security conscious will turn the USB port off completely by deselecting the Enable External USB Port.

When installing a memory module how can you prevent ESD?

When installing memory remember that modules are very sensitive to ESD. Be sure to take proper steps to prevent ESD. *You can add single memory modules to computers that use DDR (including 2, 3, and 4). *Install memory in the correct slot. Although several memory slots might be open, some system boards require that you use specific slots. Check the system board documentation for more details. -For many systems, start with the first bank. The first memory bank is often closest to the processor. -On some systems you should fill each bank in order. *Align the memory before inserting, and do not force the module in place. Most memory is keyed to prevent it from being installed backwards or in incompatible slots. *Most RAM is held in place with small tabs on either end. To remove RAM from a motherboard, push the tabs down to rotate them back, then pull the RAM straight up. *For a dual-, triple-, and quad-channel configuration: -Modules must be installed in matching sets (capacity and speed), preferably of the same manufacturer and model. -You can typically use different capacity modules between sets. For example, you can use two 1 GB modules as one set and two 512 MB modules in the second set. -Install modules in the slots specified in the motherboard documentation. Many motherboards color the slots, with slots used within a set having the same color. >>If you install single memory modules, the system will continue to use the memory, but cannot use the memory in dual-channel mode. *Following installation, power on the system and check for errors. Most BIOS programs include a memory count that displays the total amount of system memory. If it does not count the proper amount of memory, you may have installed the memory incorrectly or you may have a faulty memory module. Also, if the BIOS generates an error between 200 and 299, the error is a memory error. *Most systems will configure memory settings (frequency, voltage, and timing including latency) automatically based on information in the EEPROM chip. If necessary, edit the BIOS to manually configure memory settings.

When selecting RAM, how should you consider 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). If you purchase the wrong type of RAM, it will most likely not fit. If it does, it might have different voltage requirements than what is supported by your motherboard. Memory packaging (memory form) and capacity must match what is supported by the motherboard.

How do you edit BIOS/UEFI settings?

You do this by accessing the appropriate firmware configuration utility for your system. The way you access this utility depends upon the system that you're working on. What you do is turn the system on and then press a particular keystroke sequence. If you do it fast enough before the operating system loads, you enter into either the BIOS or the UEFI configuration utility. The problem is that the keystroke sequence that you use depends on the particular make and model of system that you're working on. How do you know which keystroke you should press? One option is to look at the screen as the system is booting. When you initially power up most systems, they display a message on the screen that indicates the keystroke combination you should use. However, sometimes that message is hidden. Many system administrators don't like having that message displayed. They're afraid, and rightfully so, that some users might access the firmware configuration utility and change something that would render the system unusable. So, many system administrators hide that message. If that's the case, you'll need to check your system documentation. It should tell you the keystroke to press to access your configuration utility on your particular system. One of the key skills that you need to develop is the ability to poke through the configuration interface to find the setting that you need. In any given organization, you may have 10 or more different makes and models of computers that you're supporting. That means you're likely to have 10 or more UEFI or BIOS interfaces that you're going to have to work with. Instead of memorizing each one that you'll need, just learn how to find the particular information you need. If you can't find it by poking around, you can always consult your system documentation. [Notice on the left that the Settings > General > System Information is selected by default. On the right, system hardware information is displayed. This is a very valuable screen. You can learn a lot about the hardware installed on the system by reviewing the information displayed here. For example, we see that it has 4096 MB (4 GB) of RAM installed. We can see the speed of the memory modules installed. We can see the Memory Channel Mode. Notice that it is operating in single channel mode.]

What is the difference between BIOS setting and CMOS setting?

You might hear someone say, "I'm going to edit my BIOS settings." Or you might hear someone say, "I'm going to edit my CMOS settings." They're talking about the same thing but using the terms CMOS and BIOS interchangeably is not technically correct. In the past, the BIOS chip and the CMOS chip were physically separate. They were two separate chips implemented on your motherboard. Today, they're both implemented within the same chip package even though they are still separate entities. Because they are implemented within the same chip package, we tend to use both terms, BIOS and CMOS interchangeably. But, the BIOS is still not re-writable and we can't save any custom parameters to it. That's the job of the CMOS chip.

What are critical times when memory problems manifest themselves?

You should be familiar with this list of critical times when memory problems manifest themselves: *First boot of a new computer. Memory is not properly seated, missing, or the motherboard is defective. *After a memory upgrade. Ensure that the memory is compatible and was installed and configured properly. *After software installation. New software requires more memory and can cause problems. *After hardware installation or removal. Incompletely or improperly installed hardware can cause errors that appear to be memory related.