CompTIA A+ 220-901
PnP
Plug and Play
_______ 802.3af devices that send Ethernet data and power over twisted-pair cable to compliant devices.
PoE
PoS
Point of Sale
_____ ________ enables you to specify outgoing ports that your computer uses for special applications; their corresponding inbound ports open automatically when the sessions are established.
Port triggering
POP3
Post Office Protocol Port 110
PRI
Primary Rate Interface
PCL
Printer Control Language
PKI
Public Key Infrastructure
__________ attempts to prioritize streaming media.
QoS
__________ is 4x the width, 256-bit bus.
Quad Channel
QoS
Quality of Service
QoS =
Quality of Service
RGB
Red Green Blue
Hard Disk Drives
Rotational Speed between 5,400 rpm to 10,000 rpm Platters rotate around the Spindle The Actuator moves the Arm across the Platter At the end of the Arm is a Read/Write Head
SCP
Secure Copy Protection
SSH
Secure Shell
S.M.A.R.T.
Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology
SATA
Serial ATA uses a 15 pin power connector and 7-pin data connector. Rev 1 (1.5 Gb/s) Rev 2 (3 Gb/s) Rev 3 (6 Gb/s) Rev 3.2 (SATA express) (16 GB/s)
SP
Service Pack
Optical Storage
Small bumps read with a laser beam -Microscopic binary storage
Micro- DIMM
Smaller form factors for mobile devices -54 mm x 30 mm -Higher memory density DDR - 172 pins DDR2 and DDR3 - 214 pins
RAS
Remote Access Service
SFC
System File Checker
TN LCD
TN - Twisted Nematic LCD -Most common -Fast response time -Low Power draw Poor viewing angles - color shifts
Port 23
Telnet
Telnet
Telnet Port 23
SPDIF
Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format
_________ connect as X1 PCIe or PCI cards.
Sound cards
Audio/Video Editing
Specialized audio and video card -High quality audio and video -Large fast hard drive -Constant disk writes -SSD -Dual monitors
Thunderbolt to DVI
Thunderbolt carries both DisplayPort Video and PCI Express DVI-D single Link -Digital to Digital -No conversion needed
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol
Digital Video
Transmitted as a discrete value -DVI-D -HDMI
Analog Video
Transmitted as one continuous signal
____________ is 3X the width, 192-bit bus.
Triple channel
Net:
Used to map network drives (net use), view computers (net view), start/stop services (net start and net stop), and synchronize time (net time)
UAC
User Account Control
Watt
Watt (W) Measurement of real power use -Volts * Amps = Watts 120V * 0.5A = 60W
WUXGA
Wide Ultra Extended Graphics Array
WAN
Wide area network
WINS
Windows Internet Name Service
which device sends an electrical signal through one pair of unshielded twisted pair(UTP) wires for the purpose of tracing it?
a tone generator
what type of device commonly uses power over Ethernet (PoE) provided by a switch?
a voice over IP (VoIP) phone
give an example of a wireless personal area network(WPAN)
a wireless headset connected to a smartphone by using Bluetooth
TPM
Trusted Platform Module
TN =
Twisted Nematic
UXGA
Ultra Extended Graphics Array
__________ IPv6 addresses are assigned to a single interface and are the most common type.
Unicast
UEFI
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
What term refers to the standard firmware interface for personal computers (PCs) that was designed to improve software interoperability and address the limitations in the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)?
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
UTM
Unified threat management
UNC
Universal Naming Convention
which network service provides automatic assignment of IP addresses to clients that have been configured to do so?
dynamic host configuration protocol(DHCP)
what term is the benefit of enabling network address translation( NAT) on a router?
external host wont be able to identify and connect directly to internal clients.
Linux and OS X wired version of ipconfig (cmd)
ifconfig
what is the defining characteristic of a user datagram protocol? (UDP)
it is a connection-less, best effort delivery protocol
what is the key characteristic of a user datagram protocol(UDP) that differentiates it from transmission control protocol(TCP)?
it is a connectionless, best-effort delivery protocol that lacks reliability
Thin Clients
low resources, meets minimum requirements for OS, relies on server, diskless, embedded OS, network connectivity.
the south bridge gives the cpu access to what?
low-speed interfaces, like the USB controller or harddrive controlers
Gaming PC's need:
multicore CPU high end video high def sound high end cooling
Gaming PCs
multicore CPU, high end video, high-def sound, high-end cooling
which electronic instrument is used to measure voltage, current, and resistance
multimeter
where is the BIOS stored?
on ROM
Bluetooth Radio Class 3
power 1 range 1
Bluetooth Radio Class 2
power 2.5 range 10
Linux- displays process information (cmd)
ps
IEEE1394B
runs at 800 Mb/s
Which feature of the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) would you enable if you wanted to ensure the authenticity of the firmware and prevent pre-boot viruses from being launched?
secure boot
The purpose of a "dual-rail" PSU is to _________ and ________ the current through each wire to avoid overheating.
separate limit
Linux- brings system down (cmd)
shutdown
A _________ ______cable is used to connect a computer to a switch.
straight through
Linux-executes commands as admin (cmd)
sudo
what is SDRAM used for?
synchronized with the system bus, making it less likely that information is lost during transfer and processing by the CPU.
what special feature of WiFi protected access version 2(WPA2) improves upon WiFi protected access(WPA)?
the inclusion of advanced encryption standard (AES) and cipher block chaining message authentication code protocol(CCMP)
what is the purpose of an access point
to extend the physical range of a wireless local area network(WLAN) and facilitate communications with wireless devices
which form of network communication involves a single network node talking to another single network node?
unicast
Linux-opens text editor (cmd)
vi
when are you most likely to use a punch down tool?
when you need to connect cables wires directly to a patch panel
PCI-X (PCI Extended)
• Designed for servers (this is not PCI Express) • 1,064 MB/s throughput
POST card with USB power
• Detailed diagnostics during POST • Connects to PCI/PCI Express/ Parallel • Powered through USB
LCD issues laptops
• Dim video may be caused by a bad backlight • Video may be barely visible without the backlight • May need to replace the LCD inverter or display
Fiber
• Fiber optics to the home • Converged services - Voice, Video, Data • Enhanced features
Firewall
• Filters traffic by IP, port number, or application
Blurry video laptops
• LCD displays have an optimal native resolution • Check the manual to determine the correct resolution
Mini PCI and PCI Express Mini Card
• PCI and PCI Express for laptops • Adapter cards are internal to the device
Windows printer test page
• Print a test page from the Windows printer properties • A bad Windows printer test page may be related to a driver, cable, interface, or connection
Loopback plugs
• Usually don't need them until there's a problem • Need separate plugs for different media
WAN
• Wide Area Network • Spanning the globe (or the neighborhood)
A technician is troubleshooting an expansion card in a computer that allows the computer to receive faxes over a VoIP line. The line connected to the expansion card is MOST likely which of the following cable types? A. Coaxial B. CAT3 C. CAT6 D. Multi-mode fiber E. Single-mode fiber
C. CAT6
what term refers to a small piece of hardware that can be plugged into a computer to provide additional functionality, such as Bluetooth or WIFI?
Dongle
Impact Printer
Dot-Matrix (Impact) printer Print head with a small matrix of pins -Presses against a ribbon to make a mark on paper -Good for carbon/multiple copies -Low cost per page NOISY Bad graphics
DDR
Double Data Rate
DDR2 SDRAM
Double Data Rate 2 SDRAM -Twice as fast as DDR -240 pins Not backwards compatible -Multiply by 8 to get throughput in MB/s PC2-XXXX refers to DDR2
DDR3 SDRAM
Double Data Rate 3 SDRAM Larger chip capacities 240 pins Not backwards compatible -Multiply by 8 to get throughput in MB/s PC3-XXXXX refers to
DDR RAM
Double Data Rate Random-Access Memory
DDR SDRAM
Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory
FRU
Field Replaceable Unit
FRU =
Field Replaceable unit
FAT
File Allocation Table
FTP
File Transfer Protocol
HDMI
High Definition Multimedia Interface -All digital, no analog -~20 meter distance before signal loss Video and Audio Stream 19 Pin Type A Connecter -Proprietary miniHDMI -Type C Connector -Designed for smaller devices
A technician has connected a laptop to a television via HDMI cable. The entire display cannot be seen on the television. Which of the following settings should the technician modify? A. Keystone B. Resolution C. Privacy filter D. Frame rate
B. Resolution
A technician just installed an antivirus suite on a workstation. It is kept up-to-date and has recently scanned the system. A day later the user reports slower response times than usual. Which of the following is the user MOST likely experiencing? A. Advertisements B. Resource consumption C. A trojan infection D. Unremoved viruses
B. Resource consumption
Which of the following protocols would be used for file sharing between MAC OS and Windows OS workstations on a LAN? A. IMAP B. SMB C. SSH D. RDP
B. SMB
Which of the following connectors are commonly used for fiber optic cables? A. RJ-11 and RJ-45 B. ST and LC C. F-connectors D. BNC
B. ST and LC
There are 20 laptops in a room and they all need to connect wirelessly to the network. Which of the following would be the BEST device to use? A. Switch B. Router C. Access point D. Hub
C. Access Point
There are 20 laptops in a room and they all need to connect wirelessly to the network. Which of the following would be the BEST device to use? A. Switch B. Router C. Access point D. Hub
C. Access point
Printer Ribbon Replacement
Impact printer is modular, replace the ribbon The print head also must be replaced -They take lots of abuse -They get very hot -Another modular part -Look for release
________ is measures as CL or CAS.
Latency
what is the term used for the delay in the RAM's response to a request from the MCC?
Latency
Display Brightness
Luminance -Candela per square meter (cd/m2) -More is better Lumens -An ANSI test -3,00 lumens works in a dim room -6,00 lumens works in a sunlit rooms
Tape Drives
Magnetic Tape -Sequential storage -Good for Archiving over long periods of time Various Sizes -100GB to multiple TB -Inexpensive long term backup -Easy to ship and store
netdom
Manage Active Directory database • Join a computer to the domain, add a domain account, etc. • Reset domain password •netdom resetpwd /s:server /ud:domain\User /pd:*
Southbridge
Manages connections (I/O Controller Hub) -PCI Interface slots -Other peripherals (USB, Ethernet) -Onboard graphics controllers -BIOS
MFP
Multi-Function Product
___________ is the process of modifying an IP address as it crosses a router.
NAT
URL
Uniform Resource Locator A Uniform Resource Locator (URL), commonly informally termed a web address (a term which is not defined identically)[1] is a reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it.
UPS
Uninterruptible Power Supply
RAM issue?
Reseat modules: clean with compressed air. Overheating? Try RAM heat sinks. BIOS beep codes or displayed errors? Consult motherboard docs and use POST card tester.
RMA
Returned Materials Authorization
what advantage does SDRAM have over DRAM?
SDRAM is synchronized with the system bus, reducing the chance of data loss during transfer
Port 25 (also 587)
SMTP
what kind of RAM is most likely found in Laptops?
SODIMM
Solid State Drives
SSD Effectively flash memory No moving parts
Solid State Media includes:
SSDs USB flash drives Compact Flash SD cards
Port 22
SSH
CPU Cache
Super Fast Memory -Not much of it -Holds data, instructions, and /or results Level 1 Cache -First Check Level 2 Cache -Secondary data Level 3 Cache -Still on the chip these days
Home Theater PC
Surround Sound Audio -Entertainment Center audio standards HDMI output for video and audio HTPC compact form factor -Small case fits on a shelf -TV tuner
Sharing from An Operating System
TCP -Connect via TCP port number -Common on windows devices -Uses TCP and UDP ports 135-139 Bonjour -Discover Apple devices on the LAN -Part of Mac OS X Can be added to windows AirPrint -print from iOS devices
______________ is required whenever a heat sink is installed.
Thermal paste
in an internet protocol verison 6 (IPV6) address, what does a double-colon represent?
an unbroken string of zero values
which type of transmission method used technologies including code division multiple access(CDMA) and global system for mobile communications(GSM)?
cellular
which type of cable features a central conductor surrounded by a braided or foil shielding?
coaxial
what is the purpose of simple network management protocol?(SNMP)
collecting information from network devices for diagnostic and maintenance purposes
what are T568A, T568B, T568C?
commercial cabling standards
which protocol allows users to open and share files over the internet in native applications rather than just in web browsers?
common internet file system(CIFS)
Home Theater PC's(HTPC) need:
compact form factor surround sound HDMI output TV tuner
CMOS stands for what?
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
what would the built in firmware diagnostics of a system basic input/output system(bios) allow you to do?
confirm the functionality of system components such as memory
Sound Cards
connect as x1 PCIe or PCI cards and normally have PC 99 color-coded 1/8" mini-jacks for I/O and speakers and optical I/Os known as S/PDIF. (Example: TOSLINK)
your laptop's screen appears to be broken and does not display any picture, even though there are no visible cracks or breaks on the screen. what first step should you perform before replacing a laptop screen?
connect your laptop to an external display to verify that the problem resides in the screen and not another component.
what is the purpose of RJ-11 cables?
connecting telephone systems
CAD/CAM workstations
need powerful multicore CPUs, high-end video cards, maximized RAM.
used to start/stop services (cmd)
net start net stop
Used to synchronize time (cmd)
net time
Used to map network drives. (cmd)
net use
Used to view computers (cmd)
net view
Displays TCP and UDP sessions by computer name (or IP) and port. (cmd)
netstat
Shows the network statistics for the local computer. (cmd)
netstat
what feature is a requirement for port forwarding to work?
network address translation(NAT)
what is used to conceal internal private IP addresses from external networks?
network address translation(NAT)
what is the rj-45 connector cable used for?
networking
which type of internet infrastructure is ideal for use in smaller areas where very high data exchange is a priority?
fiber
what would you need to update on your router to take advantage of new features, fix security holes, or patch problems?
firmware
For BIOS/UEFI update, _______ it with new firmware.
flash
Solid-state drives are _______ based.
flash
other than speed, what other major advantage of flash-type or solid-state-drives(SSD) over magnetic drives?
flash drives have no moving parts.
what is the difference in RAM if one is single channel vs. a quad channel RAM?
how quickly the system can communicate with the RAM
what underlying characteristic determines if a laptop's onboard wireless card can be upgraded or replace?
if the wireless card is integrated into the system board or is independent of it
what is the reason for using WIFI protected access version 2(WPA2) instead of wired equivalent privacy (WEP) on a router?
improved data security
Custom PCs (Personal Computer)
include audio/video workstations (need special A/V cards, Fast hard drives, multiple monitors)
Solid State Media
includes solid state hard drives (SSDs), USB Flash drives, CompactFlash, and Secure (SD) cards.
IPS
intrusion prevention system
Displays current TCP/IP network configuration values. (cmd)
ipconfig
Shows additional information such as MAC address (cmd)
ipconfig /all
Bluetooth
is a short-range technology aimed at simplifying communications and synchronization among network devices.
what is a device that enables you to put a digital copy of a physical copy on your computer?
scanner
what feature of the bios would you use to ensure the authenticity of the firmware and prevent pre-boot viruses from being launched
secure boot
Thin Clients need:
low resources meets minimum requirements for OS relies on server diskless embedded OS network connectivity
you place a bootable DVD-ROM disk into a system's DVD-ROM drive and power cycle the system. on BOOT, the system displays the message: missing operating system. how do you fix this problem?
set the DVD-ROM drive as a bootable device in the basic input/ output system(BIOS)
which name is given to a twisted pair cable that has a foil wrapper around its conductors to improve the cables resistance to interference and noise?
shielded twisted pair (STP)
two sticks of memory installed and running at different speeds will cause what?
the faster stick of memory to run at the slower stick of memories speed.
on a wireless access point, what does the service set identifier(SSID) refer to?
the name of the device
to connect cable television to multiple screens within your home, you use a coaxial cable splitter. what do you increase the risk of when utilizing a coaxial cable splitter?
the potential for signal quality degradation due to loss of signal strength.
in which situation would you use a cable stripper?
the remove only the outer coating of a cable and expose the inner wire
on Intel computers what does the Northbridge chip control?
the system memory and the accelerated graphic port(AGP) video ports
what happens to a twisted pair cable's signal quality when using a splitter?
the twisted pair cable becomes more susceptible to attenuation, potentially reducing signal quality.
ROM (Read-Only Memory)
• Can't be changed or erased
SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual lnline Memory Module)
• Used in laptops and mobile devices • DDR and DDR2 SDRAM - 200 pins • DDR3 SDRAM - 204 pins
BIOS Passwords
• User Password - Needed to start the computer • Supervisor Password - Needed to make configuration changes
Inkjet Printer Maintenance Replacing the Inkjet Cartridge
• Usually separate colors • Takes seconds to replace
External monitor issues laptop
• Usually toggled with the secondary Fn keys • Toggles between LCD / external monitor / both • Use an external monitor to bypass the LCD
Error messages
• Visible on the printer display console • Low memory problems are related to laser printer RAM • Complex images and graphics consume more memory
Line-of-sight services
• Visual path between antennas - high frequencies • Common in metropolitan areas • WiMAX networking - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
Crash screens
• Windows Stop Error (Blue Screen of Death) • Contains important information
Crash screens
• Windows Stop Error, Apple spinning wait cursor • May indicate a storage device issue • Diagnostics needed for drive and motherboard
Limited or no connectivity
• Windows alert in the system tray • "Limited or No connectivity", "No Internet Access" • Check the local IP address • If DHCP address is obtained, perform the ping tests
DDR SDRAM
Double Data Rate SDRAM Synchronous DRAM -Twice the data rate as SDR (Ordinary) SDRAM -Same clock speed, 184 pins DDR-200 - 200 million transfers per second -Multiply by 8 to get throughput in MB/s -200 x 8 = 1,600 = PC1600
DIMM
Dual In-line Memory Module Electrical Contacts are different on each side 64 bit data width DDR SDRAM - 184 pins, DDR2 and DDR3 - 240 pins
Processor Cores
Dual-Core, Quad-Core, Octa-Core, Multi-Core Each core may have L1 and L2 Cache with a shared L3 cache
DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory -Needs constant refreshing -Without refreshing, the data disappears Random Access -Any storage location can be accessed directly
EEPROM
Electrically Erasable PROM -Flash memory and SSD
ECC Memory
Error Correcting Code Memory -Detects errors and corrects on the fly -Not all systems use ECC Looks the same as Non-ECC memory
USB Flash Drives
Flash Memory (EEPROM) Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory Non-Volatile (doesn't require constant energy) Limited Number of Writes Not for Archival Storage
Jumper
For enabling or disabling certain features of the motherboard Two Pins (Generally labeled)
Integrated GPU
Graphics Processing Unit -Part of a video adapter, motherboard, or CPU Graphics rendering requires a lot of work On-die GPUs are increasingly common -Not as powerful as separate adapters
Software VS Hardware RAID
Software based is an OS feature. -Doesn't require special hardware Hardware based is a feature of the HD controller -Configured outside the OS -High Performance, designed for speed
Infrared
Standard from IrDA (Infrared Data Association) 4 MNbit/s, line of sight - 1 meter distance limit Laptop, Phone, Camera NFC (Near Field Communication) -106kbit/s, 212 kbit/s, 424 kbit/s -Range of 10cm or less -Mobile devices, payment devices, ticketing, gaming
USB
Universal Serial Bus USB 1.1 -Low speed: 1.5 Megabits/s, 3 Meter cables -Full speed: 12 Megabits/s, 5 meter cables USB 2.0 -480 Megabits/s, 5 meter cables USB 3.0 - -SuperSpeed -5 Gigabits/s, 3 meter cables
ZIF Socket
Zero Insertion Force Socket (ZIF)
NFC
(Near Field Communication) • Send small amounts of data wirelessly over a limited area • Short range with encryption support
USB 3.1
(Super Speed +) runs at 10 Gb/s.
Bluetooth Class III maximum transmission range:
1 meter
Wireless Ethernet versions, including their name, data transfer rate, frequency, and modulation used:
1. 802.11a, 54Mb/s, 5 GHz 2. 802.11b, 11 Mb/s, 2.4 GHz 3. 802.11g, 54 Mb/s, 2.4 GHz 4. 802.11n, 300/600 Mb/s, 5 and 2.4 GHz 5. 802.11ac, 1.7 Gb/s and beyond 5 GHz
USB
- Maximum of 127 ports
IPv4 Class A range:
1-126
The Laser-Printing imaging process
1. Processing 2. Charging 3. Exposing 4. Developing 5. Transferring 6. Fusing 7. Cleaning
568B Standard
1. White/Orange 2. Orange 3. White/green 4. Blue 5. White/blue 6. Green 7. White/brown 8. Brown
SATA revision 1.0 Maximum data transfer rate is ______
1.5 Gb/s (150 MB/s)
SATA Revision 1.0
1.5 Gbit/s, 1 meter
what is the typical maximum download speed for a regular digital subscriber line(DSL) connection?
1.5Mbps
802.11ac Data transfer rate:
1.7 Gb/s and beyond
USB 3.1 runs at ______..
10 Gb/s
• Thunderbolt v1
10 Gbit/s per channel, 20 Gbit/s total throughput
what is the max achievable transmission speed over a CAT6 cable?
10 Gbps
Bluetooth Class II maximum transmission range:
10 meters
VGA (Video Graphics Array)
10 meters
Category 3 Cable
10BASE-T -100 meter
Category 3
10BASE-T 100 meters
Category 6A (Augmented)
10GBASE-T -100 meters
Category 7* (Shielded)
10GBASE-T -100 meters
Category 6 Cable
10GBASE-T -36 to 55 meters
802.11b Data transfer rate:
11 Mb/s
IPv6 address are ___ ____________ numbers.
128 bit hexadecimal
DIMM DDR _____ pins
184
RAID 0 requires at minimum ___ disks.
2
Bluetooth version 2 max data transfer rate:
2.1 Mb/s
for a standard laptop computer, internal hard disk drive physical dimensions are what?
2.5"
SODIMM DDR4 _____ pins
260
DIMM DDR4 _____ pins
288
802.11n Data transfer rate:
300/600 Mb/s
IPv4 addresses are ____ ________-_______ numbers.
32 bit dotted decimal
FAT32
32-Bit File Allocation Table
how many pins are found at the end of an RJ-11 cable?
4 or 6
DVD
4.7 GB (single layer), 8.5 GB (dual-layer)
Thunderbolt v3:
40 Gbit/s
IEEE 1394a (Firewire) runs at _____.
400 Mb/s
DB-9
9 Pin D Shell Connector
IPv4 Class C range:
192-223
IPv4 Class C private range:
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
what is an example of a network address that is using classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) addressing method?
192.168.1.100/21
Plasma Display
A display of tine cells -Noble gas and Mercury Voltage forms a plasma Mercury sheds energy as UV light UV light strikes colored phosphor No longer in active production
which type of device is most likely to use a micro dual in line memory module (Micro DIMM)?
A sub-compact laptop
SATA uses a ________ power connector and a ______ data connector.
15 pin 7 pin
SATA Power
15 pin connector, includes +3.3 V, +5 V, and +12 V -+3.3 is rarely used by most drives
Coaxial
(F-Connector, BNC)
1-285. Which of these would be categorized as a PC input device? Pick two. A. Digitizer B. Smart card reader C. Laser Printer D. LCD display E. Speaker
Answer: A. Digitizer and B. Smart card reader A digitizer is a common input device using a stylus, and smart card readers commonly provide input for authentication.
A customer wants to copy a database that is 97GB in size for multiple uses. Which of the following format specifications should the customer use? A. BD - RE DL B. BDXL C. BD - RE D. BD-R
A. BD - RE DL
A laptop logon screen can barely be seen, despite adjusting the display's brightness setting. Which of the following display components is defective? A. Backlight B. Digitizer C. Inverter D. Polarizer
A. Backlight
A customer brings a laptop in for repair, because the screen image is upside down. Which of the following is the BEST solution? A. Change the screen orientation B. Replace the video card C. Connect an external monitor D. Update the video card drivers
A. Change the screen orientation
A user is notified of file system errors on an external hard drive. Which of the following tools can be used to repair common errors on the drive? A. chkdsk B. diskpart C. format D. sfc
A. Chkdsk
A customer wants a computer for performing a single-threaded task as quickly as possible. Which of the following CPU characteristics is the MOST important? A. Clock speed B. Hyperthreading C. Fan speed D. Number of cores
A. Clock Speed
A customer is reporting that after removing a laptop from the docking station and bringing it home, the cursor occasionally jumps around the screen while the customer is typing. Which of the following should the technician do to mitigate this issue? A. Disable the touch pad on the laptop B. Install new keyboard drivers for the laptop C. Install new drivers for the docking station D. Disable the keyboard on the laptop
A. Disable the touch pad on the laptop
An employee wants to work more efficiently from home. The IT manager suggests the employee consider purchasing a device that will allow use of monitor and input devices with the work laptop. Which of the following devices is MOST suitable for this purpose? A. Docking station B. Set-top box C. KVM switch D. USB hub
A. Docking station
A technician receives a report from a client that is having issues with colors on a monitor. The technician notices that the monitor does not appear to have any red hues. The technician sees that the monitor has two types of inputs, VGA is currently in use, and the HDMI cable is not. The technician powers down the system and switches from using the VGA cable to the HDMI cable and the issue is resolved. Which of the following was MOST likely the issue? A. One of the pins on the VGA cable was damaged. B. The monitor did not natively support VGA input. C. The PC was originally configured to output to HDMI. D. The video card drivers were out of date.
A. One of the pins on the VGA cable was damaged.
A user's iPhone will not power on. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to isolate the problem? A. Plug the phone into a known good charger B. Remove and reseat the battery C. Replace the screen glass assembly D. Replace the battery and charge the phone.
A. Plug the phone into a known good charger
A technician needs to set up a VPN for a small office. To ensure the network traffic is routed to the correct machine, which of the following MUST the technician do on the router to accommodate this? A. Port forwarding B. Port redundancy C. Port triggering D. Port selection
A. Port forwarding
Duplexing Assembly
Allows to print on both sides of the paper -Prints side one, then side two -Can be an add on -Automatically flips the paper for you
8-Pin EPs+12V power
Also called EPS12V cable -Entry Level Power Supply Specification -A 4+4 connector, includes an ATX +12V 4-Pin Created to provide +12V power to multiple CPUs -Seen mostly on servers This is not 8-pin PCI Express Power -Do not force it
Ampere
Amp, A -The rate of electron flow past a point in a second
A user states there are multiple small black dots on an LCD screen. Which of the following should be done to resolve the issue? A. Replace monitor. B. Replace video card. C. Replace video cable. D. Replace power supply.
A. Replace monitor
Two drives in a RAID 5 have failed. Which of the following will the technician need to implement? A. Replace the failed drives and restore the data from backup to the RAID. B. Replace one of the failed drives and run the RAID repair. C. Replace the failed drives and format the RAID using the quick option. D. Replace one of the failed drives and repair the RAID using system utilities.
A. Replace the failed drives and restore the data from backup to the RAID.
Which of the following has color codes that match on both ends (e.g. orange-white, orange, green- white, blue, blue-white, green, brown-white, brown)? A. UTP straight-through B. UTP crossover C. Multi-mode fiber D. Single-mode fiber
A. UTP straight-through
An IT Director wants to increase security on the company website to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Which of the following Internet protocols should be implemented to meet the requirement? A. HTTPS B. IMAP C. TELNET D. SMTP
A.HTTPS
Typical form factors include:
ATX microATX ITX
Hot Swappable Drive
Add or remove drives while the system is running -Connection is "hot" USB is an example FireWire is also an example SATA, eSATA - Part of the standard
Calculating dB Loss
Addition and Subtraction -Add the loss through each section 1km fiber = 3.5 dB -Patch panel at each end = .5 dB (x2 patch panels) =1 dB loss Total link loss = 4.5 dB
1-12. Which of these would be the best example of an output device? Pick two. A. Barcode reader B. Printer C. Motion sensor D. Speaker E. Smart card reader F. Webcam
Answer: B. Printer and D. Speaker Output devices are printers, speakers, display devices, and any other component that gets data out of a computer.
1-115. Which of these would be the best choice for connecting an analog microphone to a computer? A. FireWire B. TRS C. RJ-45 D. USB
Answer: B. TRS The analog tip/ring/sleeve connector is commonly seen as a 3.5mm (1/8") plug to connect an analog microphone, headphones, or external speakers to a computer system.
APIPA
Automatic Private IP Addressing A link-local address -No forwarding by routers IETF has reserved 169.254.0.1 - 169.255.255.254 -First and last 256 addresses are reserved Automatically assigned -Uses ARP to confirm the address isn't currrently in use
APIPA
Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing
1-257. You have recently upgraded to Bluetooth 2.0. What type of data throughput would you expect to see with your new Bluetooth connection? A. 256 kilobits per second B. 512 kilobits per second C. 1 megabit per second D. 3 megabits per second
Answer: D. 3 megabits per second The Bluetooth 2.0 specification increased speeds to 3 megabits per second, three times faster than the 1 megabit per second throughputs of Bluetooth 1.0.
1-105. Which of these would be most likely to use an RJ11 connector? A. Ethernet switch B. Digital audio interface C. VoIP telephone D. ADSL modem E. Laser Printer
Answer: D. ADSL modem The RJ11 connector is commonly used with devices such as analog telephones and DSL modems.
ARP
Address Resolution Protocol
AC
Alternating Current
what is the set of instructions used to start the most basic services of a computer system?
BIOS
_______/______ identifies, tests, and initializes components and boots to hard drive, optical disk, USB flash drive, or network via PXE.
BIOS/UEFI
LED-Backlit Display
Backlight is LEDS instead of flourescent LEDs around the edge of the screen -Diffused to evenly light the display An array of LEDs behind the screen -May be dimmed individually
BTX
Balanced Technology Extended
APIPA
(Automatic Private IP Addressing) • Automatically assigned addresses • 169.254.1.0 through 169.254.254.255
USB 1.1
(Full Speed) runs at 12 Mb/s with a max cable length of 3 meters
USB 2.0
(High Speed) runs at 480 Mb/s with aa max cable length of 5 meters.
USB 3.0
(Super Speed) runs at 5 Gb/s.
FireWire 800 (Beta mode)
- IEEE 1394b • 800 Mbit/s full-duplex • Optical connections - 100 meters max
RAID 1
- Mirroring • File blocks are duplicated between physical drives • High disk space utilization • High redundancy • Minimum of 2 drives
Category 5e (enhanced)
1000BASE-‐T 100BASE-‐TX 100 meters
Category 7* (shielded)
10GBASE-‐T 100 meters
Category 6A (augmented)
10GBASE-‐T 100 meters
Category 6
10GBASE-‐T 37 to 55 meters
USB 1.1 runs at ____ with a max cable length of_______.
12 Mb/s 3 meters
IPv4 Class B range:
128-191
ATX
12v 2.x power supplies connect to the motherboard by way of 24-pin cable + 4-pin/8-pin for CPU and 6- or 8-pin for PCIe video.
IPv4 Class B Private range:
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
RAID 10 requires at least ___ disks.
2 but usually 4
802.11b frequency:
2.4 GHz
DIMM DDR2 _____ pins
240
DIMM DDR3 _____ pins
240
IPv4 Class A subnet mask:
255.0.0.0
what does the subnet mask of a class a network address look like?
255.0.0.0
IPv4 Class B subnet mask:
255.255.0.0
IPv4 Class C subnet mask:
255.255.255.0
what is the maximum bandwidth of graded index multimode fiber?
2GHz
RAID 5 requires at least ___ disks.
3
SATA revision 2.0 Maximum data transfer rate is ______
3 Gb/s (300 MB/s)
SATA Revision 2.0
3.0 Gbit/s, 1 meter
Molex Connector
4 - pin peripheral power connector -Molex Connecter Company -AMP MATE-N-LOK -Provides +12v and +5V Power for many devices in the computer case -Storage -Optical drives -Fans -Other peripherals
802.11a
5 GHz 54 Mbit/s 54 Mbit/s 120 meters
802.11ac
5 GHz 866.7 Mbit/s 6,934 Mbit/s 250 meters MU-Mimo
802.11n
5 GHz /2.4 GHz 150 Mbit/s 600 Mbit/s 250 meters mimo
SATA revision 3.0 Maximum data transfer rate is ______
6 Gb/s (600 MB/s)
PS/2
6 pin mini-DIN connectors -Mouse (Green) -Keyboard (Purple) Named after IBM PS/2 -Circa 1987 Replaced by USB
SATA Revision 3.0
6.0 Gbit/s, 1 meter
what is the max data throughput supported by the 802.11n standard?
600Mbps
IEEE 1394 chains can have up to _____ devices.
63
CD
700 MB capacity
Bluetooth version 1 max data transfer rate:
721 Kb/s
what protocol standard exclusively operates in the 5GHz band?
802.11ac
which 802.11 standard has the lowest data transfer rate?
802.11b
Which of the following devices is primarily intended to provide 24/7 diagnostic and biometric data regarding the user? A. Fitness monitor B. e-Reader C. Smartwatch D. Smartphone
A. Fitness monitor
A user reports that the cursor jumps to random screen locations when typing on a laptop computer. Which of the following devices is MOST likely causing this? A. The touchpad B. The mouse wheel C. The multimedia keys D. The digitizer
A. The touchpad
A user reports the cursor jumps around when typing in documents on a new laptop. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the issue? A. Touchpad settings B. Screen calibration C. Incompatible software D. Unsigned hardware
A. Touchpad settings
AMD CPU sockets:
AM3 AM3+ FM1 FM2 FM2+
______ chipset connection to the CPU is HyperTransport
AMD
AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port
Heat sinks are either ________(with powered fan) or ___________ (without).
Active Passive
ACT
Activity
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
Adds advanced cryptographic functions • Used by full disk encryption software • May be a separate module or integrated into the motherboard
ACPI
Advanced Configuration Power Interface
1-159. Which of these maintenance tasks is most suited for thermal printers? A. Clean the print head with IPA B. Replace toner cartridge C. Replace print head D. Replace ribbon cartridge
Answer: A. Clean the print head with IPA Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is commonly used to clean thermal print heads, and it's often provided in a thermal printer cleaning pen.
1-185. Which of these would be considered a characteristic of TN LCD displays? A. Fast response times B. No tailing when touched C. High power draw D. Good viewing angles E. More expensive to produce than an IPS display
Answer: A. Fast response times TN (Twisted Nematic) LCD displays have a fast response time and low power draw, but they suffer from very poor viewing angles.
1-289. Which laser printing process permanently joins toner to paper? A. Fusing B. Transferring C. Exposing D. Developing E. Processing
Answer: A. Fusing The fusing process applies heat and pressure to permanently melt toner particles onto paper.
1-7. Which of these interface types would you expect to find in a laptop computer? A. Mini PCI B. DIMM C. AGP D. PCI-X
Answer: A. Mini PCI The Mini PCI interface was built specifically for smaller form factors such as laptops and tablets.
1-42. What is Advanced Technology Extended? A. Motherboard type B. Hard drive interface C. Network protocol D. A wireless encryption standard
Answer: A. Motherboard type The ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) motherboard was standardized by Intel in 1995 and remains one of the most popular motherboard types.
1-119. Which of these send traffic across serial "lanes" on a computer bus? A. PCIe B. PCI C. PCI-X D. Mini PCI
Answer: A. PCIe Unlike other parallel bus communications, PCI Express uses serial connectivity with dedicated "lanes" to transfer traffic across the bus.
1-10. What memory type is often used as L1 cache memory? A. SRAM B. DRAM C. SDRAM D. RDRAM
Answer: A. SRAM Static RAM is commonly used for L1, L2, and L3 cache memory.
1-175. Which of these would be most likely attached to a Molex connector? A. SSD B. USB device C. Motherboard power D. Printer connection
Answer: A. SSD A Molex connector is commonly used to connect peripheral devices on the inside of a computer case.
1-57. Which of these security technologies would be the best choice to store and manage a computer's cryptographic keys? A. TPM B. Biometrics C. BIOS passwords D. WPA2
Answer: A. TPM The Trusted Platform Module is specialized hardware on a PC motherboard that securely stores and manages cryptographic keys. The TPM can be especially useful when using advanced security features such as full-disk encryption
1-6. What type of voltages would you commonly expect to find on motherboard's power supply connector? A. 120V AC B. 12V DC, 5V DC, 3.3V DC C. 12V AC, 5V AC, 3.3V AC D. 120V DC
Answer: B. 12V DC, 5V DC, 3.3V DC A computer's power supply provides the motherboard with a number of different DC voltages, usually including 3.3 volts DC, 5 volts DC, and 12 volts DC.
1-152. What is the maximum practical length of a USB 3.0 connection? A. 1 meter B. 3 meter C. 14 meters D. 97 meters
Answer: B. 3 meter The USB 3.0 standard has increased throughput to 5 Gbps and has a maximum practical throughput of 3 meters.
1-229. Which of these is the maximum theoretical throughput of 802.11g? A. 800 Mbit/s B. 54 Mbit/s C. 480 Mbit/s D. 100 Mbit/s
Answer: B. 54 Mbit/s The wireless 802.11g standard provides a maximum throughput of 54 Mbit/s.
1-197. Which of these would be true of a DIMM? A. Commonly used in mobile devices B. Commonly used module type for DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 memory C. Every DIMM slot must be filled D. Cannot be used with ECC memory E. Includes electrical contacts on one side of the memory package
Answer: B. Commonly used module type for DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 memory Dual Inline Memory Modules are commonly associated with DDR memory.
1-120. Which of these memory form-factors would be the best choice for the smallest mobile devices? A. SO-DIMM B. Micro-DIMM C. DIMM D. Macro-DIMM E. iDIMM
Answer: B. Micro-DIMM Micro-DIMM modules are some of the smallest memory module form-factors. The small form-factor of Micro- DIMM is specifically designed for small mobile devices.
1-258. Which of these motherboard types is best suited for small form-factor and low-power functions? A. microATX B. Mini-ITX C. ATX D. NLX
Answer: B. Mini-ITX The ITX motherboard series consists of small form-factor motherboards, with the Mini-ITX a relatively small 170mm by 170mm in size. Since these motherboards don't require much power, they're well suited for specialized applications and configurations.
1-158. Which of these RAID types provide redundancy when a drive fails? Pick two. A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 11
Answer: B. RAID 1 and C. RAID 5 RAID 1 (mirroring) and RAID 5 (striping with parity) both provide redundancy if you lose a hard drive. RAID 0 (striping) provides high performance, but there's no redundancy if a drive crashes.
1-331. What kind of computer connector is most commonly used for analog audio connections? A. USB B. TRS C. Serial D. FireWire
Answer: B. TRS The 3.5 millimeter tip/ring/sleeve plugs are commonly seen on headphones and other analog audio interfaces.
1-109. Which of these best describes CPU registers? A. Individual cores inside of a single CPU package B. Temporary storage in the CPU C. The high speed data bus between CPU and RAM D. Additional motherboard power for CPUs E. The process of increasing CPU speed beyond its rated values
Answer: B. Temporary storage in the CPU CPU registers are used to temporarily store information during CPU processing.
1-112. You have been using your desktop computer for about a year, but you've found that the system will sometimes power off unexpectedly and abruptly if you are watching streaming videos. The shutdown always occurs when the computer is very busy; it does not shut down if the system is idle. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. The operating system is out of date B. The fan is faulty C. The video driver needs to be upgraded D. The hard drive has reached capacity
Answer: B. The fan is faulty A computer's cooling system is an important part of your PC's overall health. If the computer can't cool itself, it will overheat and components will begin to fail. Many computers will force a shutdown to avoid causing any permanent damage to the CPU.
1-218. How many pins would you expect to find on an ATX12V v2.2 motherboard connector? A. 16 pins B. 20 pins C. 24 pins D. 36 pins
Answer: C. 24 pins Version 2.0 of the ATX12V standard extended the main power connector to 24 pins, and a version 2.2 power connector is a minor update that adds new requirements without changing the connector.
1-25. Which of these would be a best-practice for thermal printer output? A. Don't use paper clips on thermal printer output B. Don't keep the output in large stacks C. Don't put the output near a heat source D. Don't store the output in a cardboard or paper folder
Answer: C. Don't put the output near a heat source Thermal printers operate by heating a portion of a special chemical paper to show the output. If the paper is left in a hot area, the rest of the printout will turn that color and obscure the original output.
1-296. Which printer type is good for multiple copies, but is relatively noisy when it operates? A. Laser B. Inkjet C. Dot-matrix D. Thermal
Answer: C. Dot-matrix The dot-matrix printer has been around for a long time, and it's one of the best choices for multiple copies because it physically hits the paper with a matrix of small pins. Because of this constant banging of pins onto paper, the dot-matrix printer also is louder than most printer types.
1-332. What printer type uses tiny drops of pigment to create high-resolution color output? A. Laser B. Thermal C. Inkjet D. Impact E. Chain
Answer: C. Inkjet An inkjet printer uses heat or an electric charge to apply small drops of ink to the output.
1-324. Which bus architecture is most often seen in today's high-speed video adapters? A. PCI B. ISA C. PCI Express D. ISA Express
Answer: C. PCI Express The PCI Express specification provides the high bandwidth capacities required by modern video cards.
1-303. Which of these virtual printer types would be considered an Adobe proprietary format? A. XPS B. JPG C. PDF D. LPT E. GIF
Answer: C. PDF Adobe's proprietary PDF (Portable Document Format) is a common cross-platform document format.
1-313. What kind of memory adds additional buffering to help provide a more stable computing environment? A. Parity B. ECC C. Registered D. Mult-channel
Answer: C. Registered Registered memory includes an additional register between the? RAM module and the memory controller.
1-246. Which of these socket types would you associate with an AMD CPU? Pick two. A. Socket 2011 B. Socket 775 C. Socket AM3 D. Socket FM2
Answer: C. Socket AM3 and D. Socket FM2 Some of the AMD sockets include the AM3, AM3+, FM1, FM2, and FM2+.
1-184. You want to use a new boot CD-ROM to run some diagnostics on a computer, but the system is configured to boot from the hard drive instead of the CD-ROM drive. What will allow you to manage the order of the boot drives? A. Device Manager B. Event Viewer C. The BIOS D. MSCONFIG
Answer: C. The BIOS The computer's Basic Input/Output System is responsible for managing the hardware configuration of the system, including the order of the computer's boot devices.
1-51. What is the most common interface used to connect external flash memory devices? A. Serial B. eSATA C. USB D. FireWire
Answer: C. USB The Universal Serial Bus is becoming more universal all the time. If you have a flash memory device, then it almost certainly has a USB interface.
1-31. What type of memory module package would you commonly find on a desktop computer that uses DDR3 memory? A. RDRAM B. SO-DIMM C. SIMM D. DIMM E. MicroDIMM
Answer: D. DIMM DDR3 SDRAM memory uses a DIMM module as a standard package on desktop computers.
1-270. What port is also known as IEEE 1394? A. Parallel B. USB C. HDMI D. FireWire
Answer: D. FireWire The IEEE 1394 standard is also called FireWire, i.LINK, and Lynx by some manufacturers.
1-64. Which of these would also be described as the memory controller hub? A. Southbridge B. Front-side bus C. GPU D. Northbridge E. CPU cache
Answer: D. Northbridge The northbridge connects the CPU to memory, and it's often described as the memory controller hub.
1-77. What CPU technology is designed to speed processing time by temporarily storing data, instructions, and/or results? A. Hyperthreading B. Multiple cores C. 64-bit processing D. On-chip cache
Answer: D. On-chip cache The CPU caches allow for increased performance because of their speed and because they are generally located directly on the CPU chip.
1-86. Your company has a multifunction device that uses a Centronics connector. What interface does this device connect to on your computer? A. Serial B. USB C. VGA D. Parallel E. RJ45
Answer: D. Parallel A Centronics connector connects to a DB-25 parallel interface on a computer.
1-35. What type of memory can identify an error but not correct the issue? A. ECC B. RAID C. Multi-channel D. Parity E. Double-sided
Answer: D. Parity Parity memory can identify most memory errors, but there is no mechanism for parity memory to correct an error. ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory can both identify and correct memory errors.
1-4. What is one of the fundamental characteristics of parity memory? A. Parity memory identifies and corrects errors on the fly B. Parity memory will retry memory transactions until zero errors are identified C. Parity memory can be used on any computer D. Parity memory uses an additional bit to identify errors
Answer: D. Parity memory uses an additional bit to identify errors A computer that supports parity memory will take advantage of an additional bit that can be used to identify errors. Unlike ECC memory, parity memory can identify errors but not correct them.
1-273. Which printer type prints very quietly and produces output that is very sensitive to heat? A. Laser B. Inkjet C. Dot-matrix D. Thermal
Answer: D. Thermal A thermal printer causes special paper to turn color when heated. This allows for a very quiet printing process, but it also means that the thermal printer paper is very sensitive to heat.
1-290. Which of these most commonly use a mini-DIN connector? A. HDMI B. IEEE 1394 C. USB Micro-B D. eSATA E. PS/2 keyboard
Answer: E. PS/2 keyboard PS/2 keyboard and mouse devices use 6-pin mini-DIN connectors.
ADSL
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
A/V
Audio Video
ASR
Automated System Recovery
A technician arrives in Germany and discovers that when their PC is plugged into the outlet, no power is received. Which of the following actions should the technician take to get the PC to operate? A. Change the BIOS settings to the local time B. Adjust the voltage selector switch C. Attach a 220-volt power strip from the current region to the PC D. Attach a 120-volt battery backup power supply to the PC
B. Adjust the voltage selector switch
Android smartphones are typically different from other smartphone devices in that: A. Android devices use apps that are more secure than other devices. B. Android devices use open source operating systems. C. Android devices can only operate with a proprietary operating system. D. Android devices can receive apps from different sources.
B. Android devices use open source operating systems.
A customer has left a computer monitor on over the weekend and now notices slight discoloration of the screen. This is an example of: A. a failing backlight. B. burn in. C. a bad inverter. D. dead pixels. E. EMI.
B. Burn In
Which of the following cable types delivers a signal over a single pin connector? A. Ethernet B. Coaxial C. S-video D. DVI
B. Coaxial
A group of users need to connect directly to a printer with continuous access. Which of the following connection types will achieve this? A. Serial B. Ethernet C. USB D. eSATA
B. Ethernet
A user is reporting toner smudging on paper after printing. Which of the following should the technician inspect? A. Print spooler B. Fuser C. Rollers D. Maintenance kit
B. Fuser
LoJack for Laptops
Built into the BIOS • Software installed into the OS • Reinstalls itself if removed or new storage drive installed • "Phone home" function provides location information • Theft mode remotely locks the laptop and/or delete files and can force a startup password
A technician has been tasked with setting up email on a user's phone. The user also wants the email to remain on the server. Which of the following ports would be BEST for setting up the phone? A. 80 B. 110 C. 143 D. 443
C. 143
A user creates a file in presentation software to be shown on a widescreen display. The user would like to adjust the aspect ratio of the slides in the presentation software so they display without extra black areas on the top, bottom, left, or right of the slides. Which of the following aspect ratios would BEST meet this requirement? A. 4:3 B. 5:4 C. 16:9 D. 256:135
C. 16:9
A technician is tasked with setting up a workstation in a new location. The technician realizes there is no network connectivity and the workstation's NIC does not have a link light. Given the connection in the wall is correctly labeled, which of the following would be BEST for the technician to use NEXT? A. A multimeter B. A tone generator C. A cable tester D. A punchdown tool
C. A cable tester
A user wants to enable hands-free for a smartphone in a car. Which of the following needs to be performed? A. Enable WiFi B. Driver installation C. Device pairing D. Enable NFC
C. Device Pairing
A technician is notified that a laptop is not booting. It is discovered that there are no system lights, sounds, or display when the power button is pressed. Which of the following should the technician attempt FIRST in the troubleshooting process? A. Connect an external monitor into the laptop to determine if the LCD has failed. B. Boot the system from either a boot CD or other removable media type. C. Disconnect the AC and battery power and hold the power button for several seconds. D. Remove any hard drives or optical drives, RAM, and any wireless cards or USB devices from the laptop.
C. Disconnect the AC and battery power and hold the power button for several seconds.
A user wants to connect a laptop to the office LAN, charge the battery, and have a dual screen setup. Which of the following would BEST solve this user's requirements? A. Digitizer B. Thunderbolt C. Docking station D. Desktop mode
C. Docking station
A technician finds an external hard drive with the markings "IEEE 1394" on it. Which of the following cable types would be needed to view the contents of this drive? A. Ethernet B. eSATA C. FireWire D. MicroUSB
C. FireWire
Which of the following network devices filters traffic of many different protocols based on a predetermined set of rules established by a system administrator? A. Proxy B. Switch C. Firewall D. Router
C. Firewall
Which of the following types of media connectors carries digital video as well as audio? A. DVI-D B. DVI-A C. HDMI D. VGA
C. HDMI
A customer wants to connect a laptop to a mobile device's Internet for use in situations where there is no Internet connectivity. Which of the following technologies would the technician recommend to the customer? A. IR B. NFC C. Hotspot D. Lightning
C. Hotspot
Which of the following is an advantage of UDP over TCP? A. It is connection based. B. It uses flow control. C. It transfers packets faster. D. It uses connection handshakes.
C. It transfers packets faster
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that is having intermittent issues with locking up and system errors. The technician suspects that the problem might be that not enough power is getting to the motherboard. Which of the following tools would a technician use to determine if the hypothesis is correct? A. POST card B. Loopback plug C. Multimeter D. Cable tester
C. Multimeter
Which of the following is used to facilitate communications with a user's smartphone in order to make purchases and payments by proximity? A. Bluetooth B. IR C. NFC D. WPS
C. NFC
Which of the following types of expansion slots is MOST frequently found in blade servers? A. PCIe B. PCI C. PCI-X D. miniPCI
C. PCI-X
A technician is required to connect a new cable to an open port on the patch panel. Which of the following would the technician MOST likely use in this situation? A. Loopback tool B. Multimeter C. Punchdown tool D. Toner probe
C. Punchdown tool
A technician is working on a server with high latency on the mapped network drive. Upon entry into the server room, the technician suspects an issue with one of the drives in the array. Which of the following would the technician do to resolve the problem? A. Reseat the drive cable in the array. B. Replace the RAID controller. C. Replace the faulty drive in the array. D. Reinstall the RAID drivers.
C. Replace the faulty drive in the array
A technician is planning on running multimode fiber and only needs the fiber runs to be 500 feet (152 meters) in distance. Which of the following connectors should the technician use? A. BNC B. LC C. ST D. F
C. ST
A technician needs to boot a PC from a USB drive. Which of the following settings should be disabled to accomplish this task? A. Fast Boot B. UEFI Admin Password C. Secure Boot D. Legacy Boot
C. Secure Boot
A technician needs to run a diagnostic DVD on a laptop running Windows 8.1. After setting the boot order in the UEFI BIOS to the internal DVD-RW drive, the laptop still boots into Windows. Which of the following settings needs to be adjusted in order for the laptop to boot from the DVD-RW drive? A. TPM B. Virtualization C. Secure boot D. UEFI BIOS password
C. Secure Boot
A user is having problems printing. The technician believes the printer may be out of ink. Which of the following troubleshooting steps should be performed NEXT? A. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem B. Implement the solution C. Test the theory to determine cause D. Verify full system functionality
C. Test the theory to determine cause
Which of the following ports is typically used for sending email? A. 21 B. 22 C. 23 D. 25
D. 25
Which of the following ports is used for a secure browser connection for an online purchase? A. 23 B. 80 C. 110 D. 443 E. 3389
D. 443
Which of the following ports is used when accessing a website with SSL encryption? A. 22 B. 80 C. 110 D. 443
D. 443
Which of the following operating system types will allow a user to utilize 16GB of RAM if installed on a PC workstation? A. 8-bit B. 16-bit C. 32-bit D. 64-bit
D. 64-bit
Which of the following processing types allows two instructions to be received and processed nanoseconds apart? A. Quad core B. Triple core C. Dual core D. Hyper-threading
D. Hyper-threading
Which of the following is required during the installation of a digitizer? A. Must be connected to the Internet B. Must be cleaned C. Must have the latest software installed D. Must be calibrated
D. Must be calibrated
Which of the following memory types is primarily used in laptops? A. SDRAM B. DDR2 C. ECC D. SODIMM
D. SODIMM
Which of the following is a type of fiber connector? A. RJ-11 B. F-connector C. BNC D. ST
D. ST
Direct current
DC -Current moves in one direction with constant voltage
when using a older keyboard what is the adapter used to use it on a modern computer?
DIN to USB adapter
Port 53
DNS
DIN
Deutsche Industrie Norm
Which of the following is unlikely to be displayed within typical system firmware monitoring capabilities?
Device drivers
DFS
Distributed File System
the development of which type of memory module solved the problem of having to install memory module pairs into a system?
Dual in-line memory module(DIMM)
Printer Configuration settings:
Duplexing = printing on both sides Collating = printing multiple jobs in sequence Orientations = portrait or landscape Quality = DPI (600 or 1200) Dots per inch
DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory
A user reports the inability to access a company server using the FTP protocol. A technician finds other ports to the server seem to work normally. The technician has determined the problem is an incorrectly configured software firewall on the user's machine. Which of the following is MOST likely the cause? A. Incoming connections on port 445 are blocked. B. Outgoing connections on port 443 are blocked. C. Incoming connections on port 143 are blocked. D. Outgoing connections on port 80 are blocked. E. Outgoing connections on port 21 are blocked.
E. Outgoing connections on port 21 are blocked.
EPROM
EPROM - Erasable PROM -Write, Erase, Write Again
Ink Cartridge
Each container of ink places drop of ink onto the page CYMK (Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, Black)
FTP =
File Transfer Protocol
FTP
File Transfer Protocol Port 21
Digital Cameras
File transfer -USB 802.11 wireless Memory cards
what protocol is used for transfering files from one host to another over a transmission control protocol(TCP) network?
File transfer Protocol(FTP)
FQDN
Fully Qualified Domain Name
ITX Form Factor
Generally single purpose computing Similar mounting points a ATX
GHz
Gigahertz
T568A wiring standard(wire order):
Green-White, Green Orange-White, Blue Blue-white, Orange Brown-white, Brown
Port 443
HTTPS (HTTP secure)
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
Linux/OS x tools:
Ifconfig: Linux and OS X wired equivalent of of ipconfig Iwconfig: Linux wireless equivalent of ifconfig.
Imaging Drum
Image is drawn onto a photosensitive drum -"painted" with a laser -Picks up toner and transfers it to paper Can be separate or combined with toner cartridge
Smart TV
Input -Remote -Keyboard -Voice Output -Display
which internet service technology has a digital subscriber line(DSL) largely replaced?
Integrated services for digital network(ISDN)
IP
Internet Protocol
KVM
Keyboard, Video, and Mouse Use many computers with a single keyboard, video display, and mouse
Kb
Kilobit
KB
Kilobyte or Knowledge Base
LED
Light Emitting Diode
LDAP
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
LPD/LPR
Line Printer Daemon/Line Printer Remote
LPT
Line Printer Terminal
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display
LCD Display
Liquid Crystal Display -Light shines through liquid crystals Liquid Crystal molecules sit between two polarizing filters -Turn the molecules and light passes -Requires some type of backlight
________________________ systems can dissipate heat very efficiently.
Liquid based cooling
Is:
Lists directory contents; chmod modifies permissions; ps displays process information; apt-get installs packages; sudo executes commands as admin; vi opens text editor; passwd changes passwor; shutdown brings system down, highly configurable.
LI-ON
Lithium-Ion
LAN
Local Area Network
nslookup
Lookup information from DNS servers • Canonical names, IP addresses, cache timers, etc. • Find an ip address - nslookup www.google.com • Find a name - nslookup 8.8.8.8
LC
Lucent Connector
LC
Lucent Connector Local Connector "Little Connector"
Northbridge
Manages the connection between the CPU and memory • May also connect high-end graphics such as PCI Express • High speed processor
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheet
MB
Megabyte
MHz
Megahertz
______________ connect everything.
Motherboards
Dot-Matrix Printer Head
Moves back and forth -Pins hit ribbon and paper One matrix, has to move across the entire page
Defragmentation tool
Moves file fragments so they are contiguous
MFD
Multi-Function Device
Gaming PC
Multicore processor -Huge computing requirements High End Video Card High definition sound card High End cooling - High utilization for hours at a time
MUI
Multilingual User Interface
MIMO
Multiple Input Multiple Output
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface Standard since 1983 Traditional MIDI uses 5-Pin DIN
netstat
Network statistics •netstat -a - Show active connections •netstat -b - Show binaries •netstat -n - Do not resolve names
NetBIOS
Networked Basic Input/Output System
NetBEUI
Networked Basic input/output system
NLX
New Low profile Extended
NTFS
New Technology File System
NTLDR
New Technology Loader
NiMH
Nickel Metal Hydride
Fanless/Passive Cooling
No fans or noise Specialized functions -TV set top box, video servers, media server Functions are very controlled. Carefully tested Low power and use heat sinks
Thermal Printer
No ink, just heat Heats the page and the heated part turns black VERY quiet Sensitive to light and heat, and clear tap
Refresh Rates
Number of times per second the screen is redrawn -Measured in hertz LCD displays -No electron beams -Refreshes the entire screen at 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, etc. Really a frame rate
Where is the system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) actually stored?
On a read-only memory (ROM) chip
Touch Screen
On screen input On screen output Found everywhere
HTT (Hyper-Threading Technology
One CPU acts like two separate CPUs Not actually as fast as two, but 15-30% improvement Requires OS that involves hyperthreading
PAN
Personal area network
PII
Personally Identifiable Information
Pickup Rollers
Pickup the paper one page at a time in a Laser Printer Problems if no paper is picked up or multiple sheets are picked up -Generally rubber with some resistance
T568A and T568B Termination
Pin assignment from EIE/TIA-568-B standard -8 conductor 100 ohm balanced twisted-pair cabling T568A and T568B are different pin assignments for 8P8C connectors. Many organizations traditionally use 568B -Difficult to change mid stream You can't terminate one side with the other type connector
Limited connectivity?
Ping Localhost, then move outward and use ipconfig/all.
how does a NMI(non-maskable interrupt) manifest on a MAC OS X system?
Pinwheel of death
POTS
Plain Old Telephone Service
________ cable is fire-resistant, designed for airways, conduits and areas sprinklers cannot reach.
Plenum-rated
POP3 =
Post Office Protocol
POP3
Post Office Protocol 3
POST
Power On Self Test
PSU
Power Supply Unit
Printer paper jam?
Power cycle, check paper tray, rollers, paper type, fuser, and entire paper path.
PoE =
Power over Ethernet
PoE
Power over Ethernet: 802.3af devices that send Ethernet data and power over twisted-pair cable to compliant devices (for example, a PoE injector).
ATX and microATX Power Supplies
Power supply dimensions are standardized -Most power supplies fit in ATX and microATX cases Some older power supplies are physically quite large -microATX may not be an option
PXE
Preboot Execution Environment
PRL
Preferred Roaming List
PE
Preinstallation Environment
PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network
Separation Pad
Pulls just the top sheet of paper from your paper tray, not multiples Small and inexpensive, easy to clean or replace
Feed Assembly
Pulls the paper through a Thermal Printer
________ is striping.
RAID 0
________ is mirroring.
RAID 1
Fault tolerant RAID's include:
RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 10
___________ is mirrored sets in a striped set.
RAID 10
_______ is striping with parity.
RAID 5
Twisted Pair connectors:
RJ45 RJ11
RF
Radio Frequency
RFI
Radio Frequency Interference
RAM
Random Access Memory
RAM
Random Access Memory DIMMs include DDR(184 pins). DDR2 (240 pins), DDR3 (240 pins), and DDR4 (288 pins). Ram SODIMMs include DDR (200 pin), DDR2 (200 pins), DDR3 (204 Pin), and DDR4 (260 pin). Example of DDR3-1600 data transfer caculation: 1600 MT/s x 8 = 12,800 MB/s. Dual-channel is double width. 128 bit bus. Triple-channel is 3x the width, 192 bit bus. Quad-channel is 4x the width, 256-bit bus. Latency measured as CL or CAS.
Category 3 Cable
Rated for 10 Mb/s
Category 3 cabling standard:
Rated for 10 Mb/s
Category 5 Cable
Rated for 100 Mb/s
Category 5 cabling standard:
Rated for 100 Mb/s
Category 5e cabling standard:
Rated for 100 Mb/s and Gigabit networks
Category 5e Cable
Rated for 100 Mb/s and gigabit networks
Category 6/6a Cable
Rated for gigabit and 10 Gb/s networks
Category 6/6a cabling standard:
Rated for gigabit and 10 Gb/s networks
Category 7 Cable
Rated for gigabit and 10 Gb/s networks
Category 7 cabling standard:
Rated for gigabit and 10 Gb/s networks
ROM
Read-Only Memory
RW
Read-write - Used for backups
RDP
Remote Desktop Protocol
DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
Requires constant refreshing to maintain dataWrite once
SLI
Scalable Link Interface or System Level Integration or Scanline Interleave Mode
DB-25
Serial Communications D-Shell Connector, 25 Pins
Barcode Reader
Serial or USB Connector -Or 802.11 Wireless
SMB =
Server Message Block
SMB
Server Message Block Port 445 Port 137-139
SMB
Server Message Block or Small To Midsize Business
SSID
Service Set Identifier
STP
Shielded Twisted Pair
STP
Shielded Twisted Pair -Additional shielding protects against interference -Requires the used of an electrical ground
Multimode Fiber
Short range communication -Up to 2km Inexpensive light source, like LED
Netstat:
Shows the network statistics for the local computer. Displays TCP and UDP sessions by computer name (or IP) and port.
Mini PCI and PCI Express Mini
Shrunk down for mobile use Network cards for laptops
Decibels (dB)
Signal strength ratio measurements -One tenth of a bel -Alexander Graham Bell Logarithmic Scale -Adds and subtracts losses and gains 3 dB = 2x signal 10 dB = 10x the signal 20 dB = 100x the signal 30 dB = 1000x the signal
SMTP =
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Port 25 Can use port 587
SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
SDR SDRAM
Single Data Rate (SDR) Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) - 168 pins SDRAM is synchronous with the common system cock -Queue up one process while waiting for another -Classic DRAM didn't wait for a clock signal Don't confuse SDRAM with SRAM
SEC
Single Edge Connector
Voltage Rails
Single Rail -Single 12V rail power supply -One output circuit generating 12 volts Multiple Rails -Multiple 12 volt rail power supply -Each 12 V connector on the outside of the power supply is connected to one of the rails -A high power overload of a single rail usually means there's a lot of smoke -Overloading smaller capacity rails shut down the PSU instead
Coaxial Cables
Single wire conductor surrounded by Dielectric insulator, metal shielding, and plastic jacket RG-6 used in television/digital cable -High speed internet also, over cable RG-59 -Not designed for long distances
SCSI ID
Small Computer System Interface Identifier
SFF
Small Form Factor
SOHO
Small Office, Home Office
SO-DIMM
Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module -68 mm x 32 mm DDR and DDR2 SDRAM - 200 pins DDR3 SDRAM - 204 Pins
Cleaning Print Heads (InkJet)
Small droplets of ink Clogged print heads are big issue -Many printers auto clean daily -Output may have streaks or missing color sections Cleaning process can be started manually, or you can remove the print head/cartridges by hand
SoDIMM
Small outline Dual Inline Memory Module
Secure
Sockets Layer
Basic Input/Output System (System BIOS, ROM BIOS)
Software (firmware) used to start your computer • POST - Power-On Self-Test • BIOS settings are stored in nonvolatile BIOS memory • Formerly the CMOS (Complimentary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) • Usually flash memory these days
Hybrid Drives
Solid State Hybrid Drive (SSHD) Both Spinning drive and SSD in a single device SSD caches the slower spinning hard drive data
SSD
Solid-state drive (flash-based)
USB to Ethernet
Some laptops don't have an Ethernet connection -Convert USB to Ethernet
Print Head
Some printers integrate the print head into the ink cartridge. Others are separate
When someone refers to firmware, what are they talking about?
Specialized software stored in memory chips that holds operating system (OS)-specific information
Printer Drivers
Specific to a printer model -Get this EXACTLY right Get the correct operating system as well Get the right version, 32 bit vs 64 bit operating system You can't mix and match drivers
SPGA
Staggered Pin Grid Array
Fan Specifications
Standard Sizes -80mm, 120mm, 200mm Different speeds -Variable Speeds Different noise levels
SRAM
Static RAM -Very fast memory -Expensive -Very big memory -Used often in processor caches -L1, L2, L3
SRAM
Static Random-Access Memory
what is SRAM?
Static random access memory
IPv4 addresses can be __________ inputted or _____________ assigned.
Statically Dynamically
SAN
Storage Area Network
ST
Straight Tip
ST Connector
Straight Tip connector -Bayonet connector
RAID 1+0
Stripe of Mirrors -Need at least 4 physical drives Complete redundancy of mirroring and speed of striping
RAID 0
Striping -File blocks are split between two or more physical drives -High performance -No redundancy, drive failure breaks the RAID
RAID 5
Striping with Parity File blocks are striped across multiple disks (At least 3) Space is still used for Parity if any one drive fails, data can be recreated due to the parity bit
RAID 5
Striping with Parity • File blocks are striped along with a parity block • Efficient use of disk space • High redundancy • Minimum of 3 drives
RAID 0
Striping • File blocks are split between physical drives • High performance • No redundancy • Minimum of 2 drives
SC
Subscription Channel
SXGA
Super Extended Graphics Array
__________connect computers in a LAN.
Switches
SDRAM
Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory
TKIP
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
TB
Terabyte
Power issues?
Test AC outlet with receptacle tester or multimeter. Test power supply with PSU tester or multimeter: A power supply tester tests 3.3 V, 5 V, -5 V, 12 V, and -12 V. Do not open power supply; it is a FRU (field replaceable unit)
Wiring Standards
Test cables prior to implementation Many connectors look alike
ping
Test reachability •ping <ip address> - Test reachability to a TCP/IP address •ping -t <ip address> - Ping until stopped with Ctrl-c •ping -a <ip address> - Resolve address to a hostname •ping -n <count> <ip address> - Send a # of echo requests •ping -f <ip address> - Send with Don't Fragment flag set
A customer is building a high-end gaming PC and is seeking an appropriate power supply unit. Which of the following featuresets of a power supply should be installed? (Select THREE). A. Mini-ITX form factor B. High number of connectors C. 24-pin main connector D. 20-pin main connector E. 350-450 watts of power F. Dual 12v rails
B. High number of connectors C. 24-pin main connector F. Dual 12v rails
A workstation has a network link light, but it cannot access internal network resources. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue? A. Slow transfer speeds B. IP address conflict C. Incorrect gateway D. Packet collisions
B. IP address conflict
Which of the following BIOS level settings allow an administrator to view warnings on possible hardware level changes? A. Drive lock B. Intrusion detection C. BIOS password D. Trusted platform module
B. Intrusion detection
A user reports that a workstation fails to complete boot up and repeats a series of two beeps over and over. The user states that the workstation had been displaying BSOD errors after running multiple applications. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause? A. Video adapter failure B. Memory failure C. Power supply failure D. CPU failure
B. Memory failure
A technician is building a workstation that is to be used as an HTPC and will sit next to the audio receiver. Which of the following form factors would the technician MOST likely use because of its size? A. ATX B. Mini-ITX C. AT D. Micro-ATX
B. Mini-ITX
A network printer is online and ready. The accounting group is unable to print to this network printer, but other departments can. Which of the following would the technician use to resolve the problem? A. Replace the printer's network cable B. Modify the security setting of the print spooler C. Restart the TCP/IP print spooler service D. Use the manufacturer's maintenance kit
B. Modify the security setting of the print spooler
A customer wants the thinnest laptop possible. Which of the following display technologies typically allows for thinner devices? A. IPS B. OLED C. LCD D. DisplayPort
B. OLED
A brownout has occurred within a building. A technician is repairing a workstation which has a power light, but is not displaying anything on the screen and is not making any sounds during boot up. Which of the following should be used to further troubleshoot the workstation? A. Loop back plug B. POST card C. Power supply tester D. Multimeter
B. POST Card
A user attempts to turn on a computer and receives no response. The user calls the technician to report the computer is not booting and a faint smell of something burning. Which of the following tools will BEST help to identify the issue? A. ESD strap B. PSU tester C. Cable tester D. Loopback plug
B. PSU tester
A client has an issue with large files taking a long time to open or save. As time goes by, the issue worsens. The client has hundreds of GBs of files that are still in the process of backing up. The technician has verified that the hard drive is healthy and there are no signs of failure. Which of the following troubleshooting steps should the technician perform NEXT? A. Install the latest drivers from the hardware vendor. B. Perform a scan of the drive for file fragmentation. C. Run chkdsk on the workstation's hard drive. D. Reformat the drive and reinstall the OS.
B. Perform a scan of the drive for file fragmentation.
CPU Die
The mixture of the components on the CPU
Legacy BIOS
The original / traditional BIOS • No drivers for modern network, video, and storage devices
Plenum
The section above the ceiling, assuming there is no dedicated forces air return
Motherboards
They connect everything. Typical for factors include ATX (most common). Micro ATX, and ITX. Types of expansion buses include PCI Express (PCIe) and PCI. Intel chipsets connect to the CPU VIA DMI or QPI. AMD CPU-to chipset connection is Hypertransport.
TDR
Time Domain Reflectometer
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol -Connection oriented -Reliable delivery
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
USB A to USB B
USB Standard-A plug -Downstream port, computer of host device USB Standard-B Plug -Upstream receptacle -Printer or USB device
what type of dongle would be necessary to allow a laptop to connect to a wired network via a universal serial bus(USB) port?
USB to RJ-45
what are the different ways a bar code reader can connect to a computer?
USB, serial, wireless
USB
Universal Serial Bus The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is technology that allows a person to connect an electronic device to a computer.
UTP
Unshielded Twisted Pair
UTP
Unshielded Twisted Pair -No additional shielding -Most common twisted pair cabling
Signal Loss
Usually gradual -Signal strength diminishes over distance Attenuation -Loss of intensity as signal strength moves through medium
VESA
Video Electronics Standards Association
VPN
Virtual Private Network
Voltage
Volt, V -Electrical "pressure" pushing the electrons
WPS
WiFi Protected Setup
WAN
Wide Area Network
WLAN
Wireless Local Area Network
which networking device sends data to all devices connected to it and lacks the intelligence to determine the best path for data packets?
a hub
what type of device is inserted into a port and crosses over the transmit line to the receive line?
a loopback plug
what is an expresscard?
a mobile expansion card designed to replace traditional personal computer(PC) cards
whichnetworkingdevicemodulatedanddemodulateddigitaldatatoananalogsignalthatcanbesentoveratelephoneline?
a modem
which networking device is hardware-based rather than software-based and only forwards packets to the destination port based on media access control(MAC) addresses?
a switch
what type of cable is used to connect a cable modem to a wall jack that provides a signal from a cable provider?
an RG-6 cable with an F-connector
Common network speed
are 1000 Mb/s (gigabit Ethernet) and 10 Gb/s (10 Gb ethernet).
IPv4 addresses
are 32-bit dotted-decimal numbers (example 192.168.1.1) and can be statically (manually) inputed or dynamically assigned (DHCP).
what is SRAM used for?
cache memory(high speed memory) does not need to be refreshed to retain information.
what do you do for a power supply fan that turns too slowly?
check for obstructions and debris around the fan.
which component of a fiber optic cable is responsible for reflecting light back in the core?
cladding
what setting would you adjust within the BIOS if you wanted the CPU to operate faster than it was designed to run?
clock speed
what is the WIFI analyzer used for?
detecting signal strength and points of interference
when a user interacts with a touch-enabled screen, which of the following technologies is responsible for translating touch into computer language?
digitizer
Subnet Mask
e.g. 255.255.255.0 -Used by the local workstation to determine what subnet its on
what is placed by manufacturers to prevent the misplacement of RAM in wrong RAM slots?
each RAM has notches to ensure correct placement.
what is the primary for using satellite internet?
extremely long range access to remote areas where other options are not viable.
what is ready boost?
feature used to create a dedicated virtual memory from a removable USB thumb drive or memory cards.
where are the bios settings stored?
in nonvolatile memory
IPS =
in-plane switching
RAID 10
is mirrored sets in a striped set. Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks.
RAID 1
is mirroring. Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks. It also uses two disk controllers, it is disk duplexing.
RAID 5
is striping with parity. Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks.
RAID 0
is striping. Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks. It also is not fault-tolerant.
where would you find un-buffered RAM ?
it communicates directly with the memory controller making it more appropriate for workstations or gaming systems
what is the benefit of using plenum cable?
it does not give off poisonous gases when it burns.
what is the defining quality of a public IP address?
it is shared on the network
in terms of network access, what is the purpose of whitelist?
it is used to specify which devices are allowed onto the network
why is it recommended that you disable the UPnP feature on your router?
it makes it easy for hackers to discover the router and hijack the network.
how does a CAT5e cable differ from a CAT5 cable?
it supports Gigabit Ethernet, whereas CAT5 does not.
what is the defining quality of error correcting code memory?
it uses a special algorithm to detect and then correct, any errors it finds
what advantages does IPV6 standard have over IPV4 standard?
it vastly increase the available pool of IP addresses
Linux wireless version of ifconfig (cmd)
iwconfig
what device can be used to accommodate the SD card from a digital camera to a CPU?
media card reader
Hard drives are ______________ devices that store data.
nonvolatile
what are the two chips used by the cpu to communicate the the devices on your pc?
north and south bridge
what are the valid hexadecimal values represented in an IPV6?
numbers 0-9 and letters A-F(hex will never have letters beyond E)
how many sides can a memory bank use at a time in a double sided RAM?
only one at a time
Linux- changes password (cmd)
passwd
Change the size of each ping (cmd)
ping -l
what is the typical use of a bar code reader?
point of sales and to maintain inventory
in a transmission control protocol/ internet protocol(TCP/IP) network, what is used to describe the endpoint of a logical connection?
port
registered ports have a range of what?
port 1024 to 49151
FTP uses what port?
port 21
SMTP uses what port?
port 25
what technology is used to transfer both electrical power and data to remote devices over twisted pair cables in an Ethernet network?
power over Ethernet(PoE)
Virtualization workstations need:
powerful CPU lots of RAM
Virtualization workstations
powerful CPU and lots of Ram. Type 1 hypervisor is native or bare metal. Type 2 is hosted; runs on top of OS.
CAD/CAM workstations need:
powerful multicore CPU high end video card maximized RAM
which protocol provides strong authentication methods and secure communications over insecure channels to allow user to execute commands and manage files?
secure shell (SSH)
the Hypertext transfe protocol secure(HTTPS) service combines Hypertext transfer protocol(HTTP) and what other protocol?
secure sockets layer/ transport layer security(SSL/TSL)
how would you enable or disable a trusted platform module from the BIOS?
security menu
which protocol works on the application layer and helps share resources such as files, printer, and serial ports among computers?
server message block(SMB)
which step is performed first, prior to replacing any component on a laptop computer?
shut down the system and unplug power
which type of RAM needs to be installed in pairs?
single in-line memory(found in older systems/32bit data paths)
what is firmware?
specialized software stored in the memory chips that holds the operating system specific information.
POP3
tcp/110 Post Office Protocol version 3 Receive email into a email client
IMAP4
tcp/143 Internet Message Access Protocol v4 A newer email client protocol
RDP
tcp/3389 Remote Desktop Protocol Graphical display of remote devices
LDAP
tcp/389, udp,389 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Directory service protocol
SLP
tcp/427, udp/427 Service Location Protocol FindMac OS services by name
AFP
tcp/548 Apple Filing Protocol Mac OS file transfers
what is the result of disabling service set identifier(SSID) broadcast on a wireless access point (WAP)?
the access point will not advertise its name to clients within range.
what is the difference between a mouse for a MAC and a mouse for a windows computer?
the amount of buttons on the mouse
is you notice that a computer has an IP address of 169.254.0.11, what can you conclude?
the computer was unable to locate an available DHCP server
what are the examples of invalid IPV4 addresses
the first octet can not be 0 all four octets may not be 0 all four octets may not be 255
in a class C internet protocol version 4 (IPV4) address, which octet or octets present the network ID portion?
the first three octets
when someone refers to the "plastics" of a laptop, what component is being mentioned?
the frames
what is the most popular type of barcode reader?
the handheld type
what is the primary reason that DDR2 RAM is faster than DDR RAM?
the input/output speed of the DDR2 is faster
what does the fourth octet represent in a Class C IPV4 address?
the node ID portion.
what type of connector is usually specific to mac laptops, but may occasionally be used elsewhere?
thunderbolt
in what situation would you need to use a wire crimper?
to attach media connectors to the ends of cables
dynamic ports include ports 49152 through 65535, why are these ports put aside?
to be used by unregistered services and by services needing a temporary connection
which type of networking problem does the quality of service (QOS) setting help resolve?
users are experiencing lag in time-sensitive applications such as video chat and streaming
Optical Disk Drives
uses removable media to store and retrieve data, Typically 5.25".
what are some options that can be adjusted on a RAM?
voltage, frequency, and memory multiplier
what is the port range of 0 to 1023 referred to as?
well-known ports
in which type of situation would a sub-multi-assembly (SMA) fiber optic cable be particularly useful?
when a waterproof connection is needed
Lightning
• Apple proprietary • 8-pin digital signals
Thermal Printer
• Applies heat to special paper +Very inexpensive +Almost silent - Requires a specially coated paper - Sensitive to light and heat - Image degrades rapidly
Blank screen on boot
• Bad video, BIOS configuration issue, listen for the beeps
Overheating Mobile Devices
• Check app usage - Some apps can use a lot of CPU • Avoid direct sunlight
Lockups
• Check for activity lights, update drivers and software patches • Consider reverting to a restore point • Hardware diagnostics may be helpful
No video image
• Check physical connection • Confirm input selection on monitor • Check brightness • Swap the monitor with a known-good • Start Windows in VGA mode (F8)
GPS not functioning Mobile Devices
• Check settings to enable GPS • iOS: Settings / Privacy / Location Services • Android: Settings / Location • Configure location mode
No laptop power
• Check the external power adapter with a multimeter • Try a master laptop reset, i.e., hold power button for 10 seconds
Power supply tester
• Check the power supply power output • LCD panel can show voltages • Easier and faster than a multimeter
Troubleshooting boot failures
• Check your cables • Check boot sequence in BIOS • Check for removable disks (especially USB) • Check for disabled storage interfaces • For new installation, check the hardware configuration • Try the drive in a different computer
Cable Modem
• DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) • 4 Mbits/s through 250 Mbits/s • Data, Voice
Error Correcting Code (ECC) Memory
• Dectects errors • Corrects on the fly • Ideal for servers
Unable to decrypt email mobile
• Each user has a private key • Install individual private keys on every mobile device • Use a Mobile Device Manager (MDM)
Micro-DIMM (Micro Dual lnline Memory Module)
• Electrical contacts are different on each side • DDR SDRAM - 172 pins • DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM - 214 pins
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM)
• Flash memory
Image quality problems
• Flickering, colors missing, blur • Check for bent interface connector pins • Match Windows video refresh rate and resolution settings to the monitor specifications • Disable hardware acceleration • Set resolution higher to correct oversized images
Toner probe
• Follow the tone to trace a cable • Tone generator puts an analog sound on the wire • Inductive probe has a speaker
Punchdown tool
• Forces wires into a wiring block • Trims the wires and breaks the insulation
Troubleshooting disk failures
• Get a backup as soon as possible • Check for loose or damaged cables • Check for overheating - Especially if problems occur after startup • Check power supply, especially if new devices were added • Run hard drive diagnostics from the drive manufacturer
IR (Infrared)
• Included on many smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches • Control your entertainment center
Registered Memory
• Includes an additional register between the RAM module and the memory controller • Also called "buffered" memory
Streaks and blurs
• Inkjet - Clean the print heads • Laser - Check for scratches on the photosensitve drum
Multi-channel Memory
• Installed in pairs or trios for maximum throughput
Cable tester
• Measure the quality of a cable installation • Crosstalk, signal loss, etc.
MAN
• Metropolitan Area Network • Contained in a regional area
Laser Printer Maintenance Toner Cartridge Replacement
• Replace cartridge when output is faded • Keep in the bag to protect OPC from light • Power down printer before replacement • Remove packing strips from the new cartridge
WPA2
• Replaced TKIP with CCMP (Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol) • Replaced RC4 with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) • WPA2 is the latest and most secure wireless encryption method
PCIe (PCI Express)
• Serial communication - xl, x2, x4, x8, xl6, x32 lanes • High performance for devices like high-end graphics adapters • PCI Express throughput per-lane in each direction • Speeds from 250 MB/s to 2 GB/s
Booting to an incorrect device
• Set boot order in BIOS configuration • Confirm that the boot device has a valid OS
WPA
• Short-term workaround after WEP • Used RC4 cipher as a TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) • TKIP has its own vulnerabilities
Frozen system Mobile Devices
• Soft and/or hard reset • Ongoing problems may require a factory reset
Pixel problems
• Stuck pixels (constantly bright) • Dead pixels (always black)
Ghost images
• The laser printer optical drum may not be cleaning properly • Print shows ghost or "shadow" from previous drum rotation
Laser printer smudging
• The toner isn't fusing to the paper • The fuser unit may not be heating • May require replacing the fuser unit
On-printer test page
• This checks the printer operation without any OS or application • May be a power-on process or menu option • If the printer's test page doesn't work, the printer is the problem
SSID not found
• Too far away • Local networks are "louder" • Wireless router has disabled SSID advertisements
Paper jam
• Tray problem or bad pickup rollers may not feed paper properly • Creased paper may cause problems in the paper path • Check the paper weight with printer manufacturer specifications
EPROM (Eraseable PROM)
• Write / Erase / Write again
CHKDSK
•CHKDSK /f - Fixes errors on the disk •CHKDSK /r - Locate and recover from bad sectors
CCFL
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
_________ prints multiple jobs in sequence.
Collating
CIFS
Common Internet File System
A customer struggles with the small print of most smartphones. The customer still likes the idea of using a smartphone for phone calls and work. Which of the following devices should the technician recommend to the customer? A. A tablet B. An e-Reader C. A phablet D. A smart watch
C. A phablet
The device that allows two different networks to communicate with one another is: A. a repeater. B. a hub. C. a router. D. an access point.
C. A router
Wearable fitness tracking devices use which of the following technologies to determine user activity levels? A. Digitizer B. Gyroscope C. Accelerometer D. Inverter
C. Accelerometer
which category f twisted pair cable supports a signaling rate of 250 MHz?
CAT 6
Classless Subnetting
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) removed the restriction created by classful subnet masks -Can be expressed as a decimal or in CIDR notation
The ________ or _______ takes care of most calculations.
CPU Processor
_________ lithium battery provides power to CMOS.
CR2032
Plenum Rated Cable
Cable Jacket -Flourinated ethylene polymer (FEP) with low-smoke Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Plenum rated cable may not be as flexible Worst case planning
F-Connector
Cable television -Cable modem RG-6 -Threaded
Which of the following cable connection types is an example of a mini DIN? A. BNC B. PS/2 C. RCA D. DB9
B. PS/2
CMOS
Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
Sizing A Power Supply
Bigger isn't necessarily better -More expensive, doesn't make your computer faster -Physical size is relatively standard, older systems may have proprietary sizes -Calculate the watts required for all components -50% capacity is a good rule of thumb
Which of the following would need to be enabled on a mobile phone to share its Internet connection with multiple devices simultaneously? A. NFC B. Bluetooth C. Hotspot D. Tethering
C. Hotspot
A computer technician is responding to a call about a printer that is causing streaks to appear on every printout. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause? A. Duplex unit B. Toner cartridge C. Imaging drum D. Pickup rollers
C. Imaging Drum
Types of Optical discs:
CD-Rom DVD-ROM Blu-ray
________ Stores time/date and passwords.
CMOS
1-72. You would like to configure a RAID array that included both striping and mirroring. Which of these RAID types would accomplish this requirement? A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 1+0
Answer: D. RAID 1+0 RAID 1+0 is sometimes called a "stripe of mirrors," due to it's use of mirrored pairs that are striped together. This RAID format combines the speed of RAID 0 with the redundancy of RAID 1.
A user wants to implement a wireless router that will have the fastest data speeds and operate over the 5GHz frequency. Which of the following standards should the user select? A. 802.11a B. 802.11ac C. 802.11g D. 802.11n
B. 802.11ac
which component of the motherboard saves information such as the system date and time the computer is turned off?
CMOS(complementary metal oxide semiconductor)
Smart Card Reader
Can read cards with embedded circuitry Useful form of authentication Readers are built in or external
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube
CPU
Central Processing Unit
Noisy Computer?
Check CPU fan, case fan, power supply fan, and use compressed air and vacuum.
Trouble with CPU?
Check CPU fan, heat sink and thermal compound, overclocking setting in BIOS, and whether CPU is secure.
Which of the following features is an advantage of a switch over a hub? A. A switch routes packets instead of frames to different networks. B. A switch divides bandwidth among connected devices. C. A switch broadcasts the data frames to every connected device. D. A switch sends data frames to the correct connected device.
D. A switch sends data frames to the correct connected device.
A technician is connecting a PoE enabled phone and needs to run the drop from the switch that is 55 meters (180.4 feet) away. Which of the following cable types would be the MOST suitable for this purpose? A. Fiber B. Coaxial C. CAT3 D. CAT6
D. CAT6
A user wants to store a personal video to view at a later time. Which of the following types of media is the LEAST expensive with a maximum capacity of 750MB? A. USB drive B. DVD-R C. Blu-Ray D. CD-R
D. CD-R
Ann, a user, boots her laptop and notices the screen flashes then turns black. It was working during her presentation yesterday. Which of the following troubleshooting steps should be completed? A. Use a multimeter to test voltage. B. Replace the laptop with a new one. C. Replace the battery. D. Connect an external display device.
D. Connect an external display device.
A technician is installing a wireless router to be used as an access point. The company firewall will assign IP addresses to devices on the wireless network. Which of the following settings does the technician need to disable on the wireless router to accomplish this? A. NAT B. DMZ C. PAT D. DHCP
D. DHCP
Which of the following Internet connection types is a digital form that runs over standard telephone wiring? A. Fiber B. Dial-up C. Cable D. DSL
D. DSL
Which of the following would likely be the MOST cost-effective media to use for storing 8GB of data? A. DVD RW B. CD-ROM C. Tape backup D. DVD+R DL
D. DVD+R DL
Which of the following are the BEST features to include in a Home Theater PC? (Select TWO). A. Liquid Cooling B. VGA Output C. Dual Monitors D. Digital Audio E. HDMI Output F. NFC Capability
D. Digital Audio E. HDMI Output
A customer asks a technician for a device that has the capability to easily connect a laptop to an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, and charge the battery. Which of the following devices should the technician recommend to the customer? A. Lightning B. KVM switch C. USB 3.0 D. Docking station
D. Docking station
Which of the following RAM types can continue working if there is corrupt data? A. Non-parity B. Dual channel C. Buffered D. ECC
D. ECC
A technician is working on a laptop with a failed Ethernet port caused by ESD. Which of the following is the simplest solution to restore network connectivity? A. Re-solder the network connector B. Replace the Ethernet daughter board C. Update the Ethernet driver D. Enable wireless and connect to the WAP
D. Enable wireless and connect to the WAP
A technician replaces a defective 250GB hard drive in a desktop with a 2TB hard drive. After installation, the computer detects the new 2TB drive as a 250GB drive. Which of the following should the technician do to fix this issue? A. Reinstall the drive B. Patch the OS C. Upgrade the driver D. Flash the BIOS
D. Flash the BIOS
An IT manager needs to install a large display in a front office area with a lot of natural light. Which of the following display technologies will BEST satisfy the requirements of the design plan? A. CRT B. CCFL LCD C. IPS LCD D. LED LCD
D. LED LCD
For which of the following types of printers should a technician obtain a maintenance kit containing a fuser, transfer roller, and pickup rollers? A. Thermal B. Impact C. Inkjet D. Laser
D. Laser
A small company needs to print several color copies of the same contract to go to various departments and customers. Which of the following printers will be the QUICKEST? A. 3D printing B. Thermal printing C. Impact printing D. Laser printing
D. Laser Printing
A user is requesting a cable to charge and transfer data for an Apple mobile device. Which of the following connection types would satisfy the user's requirements? A. MicroUSB B. Molex C. MiniUSB D. Lightning
D. Lightning
Digitizer
Design and Art -USB connected -Pressure sensitive
what service enables clients to locate the servers that host the light weight directory access protocol(LDAP) directory?
Domain name systems(DNS)
Biometric Device
Fingerprint scanner, face recognition Built in or connected via USB
Plenum-rated cable
Fire-resistant cable designed for airways, conduits, and areas sprinklers cannot reach.
COMx
Communication Port (x=Port Number)
CNR
Communications and Networking Riser
CD
Compact Disc
CDFS
Compact Disc File System
CD-ROM
Compact Disc ROM -700 Megabytes Capacity
CD-ROM
Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory
CD-RW
Compact Disc-Rewritable
CAPTCHA
Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart
CAD/CAM
Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing -Multi core processor -High end video card -Maximum RAM
What would the built-in firmware diagnostics of a system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) allow you to do?
Confirm the functionality of system components such as memory
Multiple Displays
Connect more than one display, flexible work environment Extend a desktop -Each display is independent location is determined in the OS Mirror a desktop
Keyboard
Connected via USB Additional features may require additional drivers and/or software
Scanner
Connected via USB or 802.11 wireless Different form factors -All in one -Flatbed
Case Fans
Cool air is pulled through a personal computer. Motherboard layout is important to ensure airflow.
Liquid Cooling
Coolant is circulated through a computer -Used in cars and mainframe computers High-End systems Gaming/Graphics processing
Joe, a technician, is preparing to replace a laptop screen. This laptop has a touch screen to support Windows 8.1 in order to use the Metro tiles. Which of the following is the FIRST step the technician should perform? A. Remove the laptop bezel B. Document and label each cable and screw location C. Organize the replacement parts D. Refer to the manufacturer's documentation
D. Refer to the manufacturer's documentation
FDD
Floppy Disk Drive
FSB
Front Side Bus
Heating Element
Full length heating element for Thermal printing No moving print head
Slow hard drive?
Defrag it, use disk clean up, and scan drive with AV software. Drive isn't recognized? Check connections, check in BIOS/UEFI, initialize, partition, and format in Disk Management.
DLT
Digital Linear Tape
DVD-ROM
Digital Versatile Disc ROM -4.7 GB for single layer -8.5 GB for dual-layer
DVD-RW
Digital Video Disc-Rewritable
DVI
Digital Visual Interface
DC
Direct Current
DAC
Discretionary Access Control
what is DDR?
Double data rate
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
FPM
Fast Page Mode
LVD
Low Voltage Differential
Device Sharing
Integrated print server -Print directly to the printer -Jobs are queued on the printer -Jobs are managed on the printer Web based front end Client utility Cloud Printing -Print to the cloud -Useful for mobile devices
_____________ chipsets connect to the CPU via DMI or QPI.
Intel
ICR
Intelligent Character Recognition
Read-Only
Memory
MAPI
Messaging Application Programming Interface
MAN
Metropolitan (municipal) area network
MicroDIMM
Micro Dual Inline Memory Module
MBSA
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
MSCONFIG
Microsoft Configuration
MMC
Microsoft Management Console
Print to XPS
Microsoft XPS -XML paper specification Similar use to adobe PDF Print to XPS, view in any operating system that has a reader
what type of expansion card is internal and installed by the computer manufacturer?
Mini peripheral component interconnect express (Mini-PCIe)
what type of expansion card is internal and installed by the computer manufacturer?
Mini peripheral component interconnect express(Mini-PCIe)
Mini-DIN
Mini-DIN-4 -S-video (Separate video) 2 channel analog signal -Intensity and color May also see Mini-DIN-7 or Mini-DIN-9
RAID 1
Mirroring File blocks are duplicated between two or more physical drives -High disk utilization -Every file is duplicated -Required disk is doubled -Drive failure does not affect data availability
Signal Strength
How "loud" the signal is, how much gets to the other side Signal quality -How much of it is useful -Always a signal to noise ratio Important for network communication -There are many ways to affect quality -Important on wires, fibers, and wireless -The physical medium is exceptionally important
Gb
Gigabit
GB
Gigabyte
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communications
GUI
Graphical User Interface
GDI
Graphics Device Interface
HDMI to VGA
HDMI is digital only -No analog signals VGA is analog only Need a digital to analog converter -Active converter cable -A simple cable wont work
Port 80
HTTP
Used to control active directory, add hosts to domain, etc. (cmd)
Netdom
NAC
Network Access Control
NAT
Network Address Translation
NAT =
Network Address Translation
NAS
Network Attached Storage
NFS
Network File System
NIC
Network Interface Card
NNTP
Network News Transfer Protocol
NTP
Network Time Protocol
HDD
Hard Disk Drive
HDD
Hard disk drive (magnetic-based)
HAL
Hardware Abstraction Layer
HCL
Hardware Compatibility List
HAV
Hardware-Assisted Virtualization
Port 143
IMAP
Inkjet
Ink-Dispersion printer Relatively inexpensive Quiet High Resolution Expensive ink (Proprietary) Eventually fades Clogs easily
I/O
Input/Output
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network
Microphone
Integrated into most laptops and multimedia devices Connectivity -Analog - TRS Digital - USB
___________ protect individual computers and networks from unwanted intrusion.
Firewalls
NiCd
Nickel Cadmium
OLED
Organic Light Emitting Diode
OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
Thermal Paper
Paper covered with chemical that changes color when heated Cash registers, credit card terminals, etc.
Tractor Feed
Paper pulled through with holes on each side of the paper on an Impact Printer Continuous paper feed
PATA
Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
Secure Boot
Part of the UEFI specification • Digitally sign known-good software • Software won't run without the proper signature
Fn
Function (referring to the function key on a laptop)
Carriage and Belt
Ink cartridges are moved over the paper -Carriage may include its own print head, if not on the cartridge itself Belt moves the carriage back and forth, its another moving part
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IDE
Integrated Drive Electronics
Touch Pads
Integrated into the keyboard Replaces a mouse
IRQ
Interrupt Request
IDS
Intrusion Detection System
IDS
Intrusion detection system
JBOD
Just a Bunch Of Disks
Intel CPU sockets:
LGA 775 1150 1155 1156 1366 2011
SC Connector
Subscriber Connecter Standard Connector Square Connector
IMEI
International Mobile Equipment Identity
IMSI
International Mobile Subscriber Identity
ISO
International Organization for Standardization/
ICMP
Internet Control Message Protocol
IIS
Internet Information Services
IMAP
Internet Mail Access Protocol
IMAP =
Internet Message Access Protocol
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol Port 143
IPP
Internet Printing Protocol
IPCONFIG
Internet Protocol Configuration
IPSec
Internet Protocol Security
IPv4
Internet Protocol version 4 -OSI Layer 3 address 192.168.1.131 (8 bits = 1 byte = 1 octet 32 bits in length = 4 bytes in length MAX number for an Octet is 255
IPv6
Internet Protocol version 6 - 128-bit address 340 undecillion addresses total 128 bits = 16 bytes Your DNS will become very important First 64 bits is generally the network prefix (/64) Last 64 bits is then the host network address fe80:0000:0000:0000:cabc:c800:00a7:08d5, e.x. Remove leading zeros Abbreviate 2+ groups of zeros with double colons
ISP
Internet Service Provider
LGA
Land Grid Array Pins are on the Motherboard, not the CPU Easier to damage motherboard
ifconfig
Linux/Unix TCP/IP configuration •ifconfig <interface> - Show TCP/IP details
LAN
Local area network
which type of network is self-contained and spans a small area, such as a single building floor, or room?
Local area network(LAN)
LBA
Logical Block Addressing
Single-Mode Fiber
Long range communications -Up to 100 km without processing Expensive light source -Laser beams
IPv6 Link-Local Address
Non routable, only works on local network Required on every IPv6-enabled interface fe80::/10 with only one subnet allocated (all zeros) Usually created with the MAC address
_____________ can hold data even if it is not connected to any power source.
Nonvolatile memory
Digital Projectors
Not always LCD, but its common to see LCD Metal-Halide lamp -Relatively expensive -$35-$350+ US Always let the bulbs cool -Fan will run after shutting off -Keep it plugged in
Display Resolution
Number of pixels on a display -Width x Height -Actually pixel dimensions Aspect Ratio -Ratio of width to height Standard monitor aspect ratio. 4:3 -1600 x 1200, 2048 x 1536 Widescreen Monitor, 16:10 -1920 x 1200, 2560 x 1600 HD, 16:9 1920 x 1080, 2560 x 1440
QoS
Quality of Service: Attempts to prioritize streaming media (VOIP, video playback, etc.)
what feature allows you to prioritize certain types of network traffic?
Quality of service(QOS)
Port 3389
RDP
which type of networking cable is also referred to as "thicknet"?
RG-58
what is currently the best cabling option for digital TV and cable connectivity?
RG-6
which type of connector is sometimes referred to as "thicknet"?
RG-8
Fiber optic connectors:
SC ST LC
Fiber optic
SC, ST, and LC
ipconfig
Windows TCP/IP configuration •ipconfig /all - Show all TCP/IP details •ipconfig /release - Release the DHCP lease •ipconfig /renew - Renew the DHCP lease •ipconfig /flushdns - Flush the DNS resolver cache
net
Windows network commands •NET USE - Map a network share to a drive letter •net use h: \\<servername>\<sharename> •NET STOP - Stop a service •net stop spooler •NET START - Start a service •net start spooler •NET VIEW - View network resources •net view \\<servername>
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy
WiFi
Wireless Fidelity
WPA
Wireless Protected Access
in what way does Dynamic Network Address Translation (DNAT) differ from static NAT?
The is not a one -to-one internal to external addresses
what is an ISP
a company that provides internet access to homes or businesses
when TCP/IP communications need to be routed to systems on other networks, the protocol directs the packets to a special address known as what?
a default gateway.
what single component is required for a device to connect to a network?
a network interface card(NIC)
what type of network would qualify as a metropolitan area network (MAN)?
a network that covers an area equivalent to a city
what is an internet protocol version 4 (IPV4) address composed of?
a set of four 8-bit octets
what is a laptop touchpad?
a small area where you can drag your finger to control the mouse pointer
what term refers specifically to an IP address that has been manually configured on a device by a network technician?
a static address
what device emits a beeping sound when it detects a signal in a pair of wires?
a tone probe
Fiber communications
Transmission by light -The visible spectrum No RF signal -Very difficult to monitor or tap Signal is slow to degrade -Transmit over long distances
TFTP
Trivial File Transfer Protocol
what windows feature allows a dynamic host configuration protocol(DHCP) client computer to configure itself automatically with an IP address in the range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254 if no DHCP sever is available?
automatic private IP address (APIPA)
HTPCs (Home Theatre PCs)
compact form factor, surround sound, HDMI output, TV tuner.
Switches
connect computers in a LAN.
802.11ac is capable of what speeds?
exceeds 1Gbps in some implementations.
Home Server PC's need:
gigabit NIC RAID arrays print sharing file sharing media streaming
Home server PCs
gigabit NIC, RAID arrays, print sharing, file sharing, media streaming.
IDS
intrusion detection system
what is the most defining quality of a face contact (FC) fiber optic connector?
it features a heavy duty ferrule in the center for more mechanical stability.
BIOS/UEFI
it identifies, tests, and initializes components and boots to hard drive, optical disc, USB flash drive, or network via PXE. CMOS stores time/date and passwords. CR2032 lithium battery provides power to CMOS.
what is ECC?
it is an algorithm to detect and then correct any errors it finds.
which of the following is true of the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cable?
it is an inexpensive, flexible, rubber-like plastic.
in the majority of modern computers, how is the central processing unit connected to the motherboard?
it is attached to a socket using a pin grid array(PGA)
what is a characteristic of cat3 cabling?
it is currently used for telephone wiring
how is a user name and password information sent over the network when using telnet
it is sent in plaintext unencrypted format.
in what way does WIFI protected access (WPA) improve upon wired equivalent privacy (WEP)?
it uses the temporal key integrity protocol (TKIP), which provides a 128 bit encryption key
which protocol defines how a client can access information, perform operations, and share directory data on a directory server?
lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP)
which type of fiber optic connector uses a latch and can be used to transition installations from twisted pair copper cabling to fiber?
local connector (LC)
what is the block addresses in range of 127.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255 reserved for?
loop back functionality
Linux - Lists directory contents (cmd)
ls
Hard disk drives are _________ based.
magnetic
which type of connector is used only for multi-mode fiber and is sometimes referred to as fiber jack due to its compact snap-to-lock connector?
mechanical transfer registered jack (MT-RJ)
what router feature would allow you to specify which wireless clients may join your network?
media access control(MAC) filtering
Shows network protocol statistics that use NetBIOS over TCP/IP connections. (cmd)
nbtstat
what term refers to the cords that are used to make network connections to a rack in a wiring closet?
patch cables
some laptops have smart card readers built into the side. what are these components for?
physical authentication of the laptop's user with a smart card.
set of pings (cmd)
ping -n
continuous ping (cmd)
ping -t
To test the local computer
ping loopback
dynamic or private ports have a range of what?
port 49512 to 65535
DNS uses what port?
port 53
HTTP uses what port?
port 80
which well-known port does hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) use?
port 80
what setting should you enable if you wanted to configure a host to automatically and dynamically forward inbound traffic received on a specific ports to other ports
port triggering
Bluetooth Radio Class 1
power 100 range 100
what term refers to addresses that organizations use for nodes requiring IP connectivity within enterprise networks, but do to require external connections to the global internet?
private addresses
what are services?
programs dedicated to enabling the cpu to communicate with devices.
Firewalls
protect individual computers and networks from unwanted intrusion.
which poses the greatest difficulty in replacing laptops speakers?
speakers are located in a number of locations depending on the style and manufacturer of the laptop.
Audio/Video workstations need:
special audio/video cards fast hard drives multiple monitors
what is the most common type of fiber optic connector, frequently used in network patch panels?
straight tip(ST)
Compressed air
• "Canned air" • Fluorocarbon gas compressed into a liquid • Not a great choice for cleaning printers • Consider using a chemical-free air compressor
Crimper
• "Pinches the connector onto the wire • The final step of a cable installation
DDR2 (Double Data Rate 2 SDRAM)
• 2x the bus clock multiplier of DDR
IrDA (infrared Data Association)
• 4 Mbit/s speed • Line of sight, 1 meter
USB 2.0
• 480 megabits per second, 5 meters
DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3 SDRAM)
• 4x the bus clock multiplier of DDR
WEP
• 64-bit or 128-bit key size • Cryptographic vulnerabilties found in 2001 • WEP can no longer be used
Wireless antenna problems laptop
• A laptop has multiple antennas; WiFi main, WiFi aux, Bluetooth • Antenna wires wrap around the top of the LCD to get up high • It's easy to accidentally disconnect the wires during maintenance
DSL
• ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) • 24 Mbit/s downstream / 3.3 Mbit/s upstream • VDSL (Very-high-bit-rate DSL) • 3 Mbit/s through 100 Mbit/s
Parity Memory
• Additional parity bit • Can't correct an error
FORMAT
• Adds a file system to a partition • This also removes all file entries
Inkjet Printer Maintenance Inkjet printer calibration
• Align nozzles to the paper • Printer includes a calibration option
Touchscreen completely black or not responding to input mobile
• Apple iOS restart • Press power button, slide to power off, press power button • Hold down power button and Home button for 10 seconds • Android device restart • Remove battery, put back in, power on • Hold down power and volume down until restart • Some phones have different key combinations • Some phone do not have a key-based reset
Cellular networks
• Mobile devices - "Cell" phones • Tethering - Turn your phone into a wireless router • Mobile hotspot - Standalone networking devices
Modem
• Modulator/Demodulator • Converts analog sounds to digital signals
Hub
• Multi-port repeater • Traffic going into one port is repeated to every other port
integrated CPUs
• Multiple processor cores • Memory controller • Graphics processing unit (GPU)
Dialup
• Network with voice telephone lines • 56 kbit/s modems, compression up to 320 kbit/s • Legacy systems, network utility
Printer network issues
• No connectivity - Check for power and cabling • Wireless printers may require additional configuration • Check Windows printer security tab for rights and permissions
Power and reboots
• No power - check the power supply • Unexpected shutdown - run hardware diagnostics • Only fans spin - check power supply output
Satellite networking
• Non-terrestrial communication • 15 Mbit/s down, 2 Mbit/s up • High latency • High frequencies - 2 GHz
The "CMOS" Battery
• Not needed for today's flash-based storage • Maintains older BIOS configurations • May only be used to maintain date/time • A bad battery will require a BIOS configuration on every boot • Can reset the BIOS configuration by removing the battery on older systems
Manufacturer resources
• Often provide step-by-step repair guides • Online written guides • YouTube videos
PoE (Power over Ethernet)
• One wire for both network and electricity • Built-in power - Endspans • In-line power injector - Midspans
Print to PDF
• One-way print from app to PDF • Requires specialized software to create and view a PDF • PDF viewers built into many Internet browsers • Many third party tools available
Inkjet Printer Maintenance Cleaning print heads
• Output may have streaks or sections of missing color • Cleaning process can be started manually • Some print heads/cartridges can be removed and cleaned manually
Laser Printer Maintenance Laser Printer Maintenance Kit
• Periodic maintenance based on page count • Replacement feed rollers, transfer rollers, pickup rollers and fuser unit • Power down during maintenance • Reset the page counter when done
PAN
• Personal Area Network • Bluetooth, WiFi • Automobile, mobile phone, health telemetry
Wireless interference
• Predictable • Florescent lights, microwave ovens, etc. • Unpredictable • Multi-tenant building • Measurements • Signal strength, Performance Monitor
Print to image
• Print to a graphics image • Not integrated into the OS • Some third-party image print drivers are available
Print to File
• Print to the driver, but save it as a file • File will be in a output format specific to that printer • Must copy the file to the printer:
Operating System issues
• Printer driver installation issues may be related to OS permissions • Make sure the correct driver is installing (32 bit vs. 64 bit) • Queue may not be moving, print jobs "stuck" in the queue • The print spooler may have crashed or not working • Restart the spooler from the Windows Services
Impact Printer
• Printer head strikes a ribbon and the paper +Low cost per page +Good for multiple copies - Very noisy - Poor graphics
Inkjet Printer
• Prints with very fine drops of ink +Inexpensive technology + High quality +Relatively quiet - Ink is expensive and proprietary - Eventually fades - Print head clogs easily
Patch panels
• Punch-down blocks and RJ-45 connectors • Runs from desks are made once • Patch panel to switch can be easily changed
WiFi analyzer
• Purpose-built hardware or mobile device add-on • Identify errors and interference
Cable stripper
• Quickly remove the insulation from the copper • Speeds the cable installation process
Thermal Printer Maintenance Thermal Paper Replacement
• Relatively inexpensive • Must use the correct size • Replace spool and feed through the printer
Southbridge
• Relatively slower connections • USB, Ethernet, SATA, etc. • BIOS
Laser printer maintenance kit
• Replacement feed rollers, new fuser unit, etc. • Based on the printer's page counter • Reset the page counter when kit is installed
DISKPART
• Replaces the Pre-Windows-XP FDISK command • Add, remove, list volumes/partitions
IPv6 Link Local Addresses
• Required on every IPv6-enabled interface • fe80::/10 with only one subnet allocated (all zeros) • The last 64 bits are created with a modified EUI-64
Apps not loading or slow app performance mobile
• Restart the phone - Hold power button, power off • Stop the app and restart • iPhone: Double-tap home button, slide app up • Android: Settings/Apps, select app, Force stop • Update the app - Get the latest version
Slow transfer speeds
• Router or infrastructure congestion • Speed and duplex incompatibility • Hardware issue with the adapter • Malware infection
Router
• Routes traffic between IP subnets • Forwards traffic based on network address • Routers inside of switches sometimes called "layer 3 switches"
No output
• Run a test print • Check the connectivity • Print from a different program
how are tone generators and tone probes different from cable testers?
the can only help you differentiate between different unshielded twisted pair(UTP) cables
what is BUS speed?
the speed at which circuits will carry data simultaneously from one area of the motherboard to another.
how many bits make up an internet protocol version 4(IPV4) address and internet protocol version 6(IPV6) address, respectively?
there are 32 bits in IPV4 and 128 bits in IPV6 address.
beyond the increase of max transmission speed, what is another significant advantage of using CAT5e cables instead of CAT5 cables?
there is a greatly reduced interference as a result of crosstalk
what are some disadvantages of using fiber optic cables?
they are expensive, fragile, and difficult to install
laptop displays that are removable or that rotate also often have which other feature?
they are touch enabled
what is the purpose of a networking hub?
to connect the nodes in a physical star topology network into a logical bus topology
what is the benefit of implementing a firewall in a network?
to protect the network from unauthorized data by blocking unsolicited traffic
what is the responsibility of the direct current (DC) jack on a laptop motherboard?
to provide power to the laptop through a cord.
what is the basic purpose of a repeater in a network?
to regenerate a signal to improve its strength over transmission distances
what do you use a loopback plug for?
to test data transmissions between components
pointer drift is a common problem that is resolved by uninstalling drivers that affect which mobile device component?
touchpad
Sends packets to test destinations beyond the local computer's network. (cmd)
tracert
what is the primary purpose of a s domain name system (DNS) server?
translating names into numeric IP addresses
what is the native protocol of the internet, which is required for internet connectivity?
transmission control protocol/ internet protocol (TCP/IP)
DDR SDRAM transfers data how many times per clock cycle?
twice per clock cycle
Networking connectors
twister pair (RJ45, RJ11)
NetBIOS
udp/137 NetBIOS name service Register, remove, and find Windows services by name udp/138 NetBIOS datagram service Windows connectionless data transfer tcp/139 NetBIOS session service Windows connection-oriented data transfer
SNMP
udp/161 Simple Network Management Protocol Gather metrics and manage network devices
DNS
udp/53 Domain Name System Convert domain names to IP addresses
DHCP
udp/67-‐68 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Automate the IP address configuration process
what does UEFI stand for?
unified extensible firmware interface
UTM
unified threat management
the motherboard itself can be a source of computer failures. which of the following symptoms would lead you to conclude that there is something wrong with the motherboard?
unresolved intermittent device failures
what data speed does a 802.11b standard have?
up to 11Mbps @2.4GHz
802.11a and 802.11g support what data transfer speeds?
up to 54Mbps
buffered RAM is used for what? (typicslly)
used on servers (not good for gamers)
which method of wireless encryption is considered to be the least secure?
wired equivalent privacy(WEP)
Test network connections
with patch tester, LAN cable tester, tone, and probe. Test NIC or RJ45 jack/switch port with loopback plug.
where is the bios stored on your system?
within the ROM
where could you find out how much and what type of RAM your system can handle?
within the mother board manual.
Hot swappable formats
USB, FireWire, SATA, eSATA
WAP
Wireless Access Protocol or Wireless Access Point
what did the SDRAM replace?
DRAM
DDoS
Distributed Denial of Service
EMP
Electromagnetic Pulse
EFS
Encrypting File System
HDMI
High-Definition Media Interface
Mb
Megabit
MPEG
Moving Picture Experts Group
PROM
Programmable ROM -Write once
Port 445 or 137-139
SMB
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol
if port 53 is blocked on a client, what service would be interrupted?
domain name system(DNS)
what are the two available form factors for expresscards?
expresscard/34 and expresscard/54
where would you most likely find touchscreen tech?
all in one cpu, tablets, phones
Linux- installs packages (cmd)
apt-get
what is the purpose of a virtual private network(VPN)?
extending an internal network to remote users through secure channels across the internet
if you replace a central processing unit (CPU) and then the computer will not function afterward, what is a likely issue?
bent of broken pins on the CPU
what is the supporting programming that helps the cpu know each device?
bios
prior to replacing a magnetic disk with a solid stat drive, which task must be performed first?
back up data from the magnetic disk
Routers
connect two or more LANS and connect LANs to the internet.
what is the purpose for POST?
checking the hardware of the CPU for correct function.
what is included within the chipset on a motherboard?
chips and circuits that support basic computer functions.
Linux- modifies permissions (cmd)
chmod
A ________ cable is used to connect a computer directly to another computer.
crossover
what does a subnet mask do?
divide the IP address into network and node portions
DMZ =
demilitarized zone
DNS
Domain Name Service or Domain Name Server
DNS
Domain Naming System
DNS =
Domain Naming System
Industry
Standards Organization
SMB
tcp/445 Server Message Block Windows file transfers and printer sharing
tracert
(Windows) or traceroute (Linux/Unix) • Determine the route a packet takes to a destination • Takes advantage of ICMP Time to Live Exceeded error message • Not all devices will reply with ICMP Time Exceeded messages
IEEE 1394A
(aka FireWire) runs at 400 MB/s
FireWire 400 (Alpha mode)
- IEEE 1394a • 100, 200, or 400 Mbit/s half-duplex • 4.5 meters (15 feet), 72 meters max
Which of the following components of a motherboard is responsible for communications between CPU and RAM? A. North Bridge B. South Bridge C. PCIe slot D. CMOS battery
A. North Bridge
Category 5 Cable
100BASE-TX 1000BASE-T -100 meters
Category 5e Cable (Enhanced)
100BASE-TX 1000BASE-T -100 meters
Category 5
100BASE-‐TX, 100BASE-‐T 100 meters
how many channels are defined by the 802.11b and 802.11g within the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM)2.4GHz band?
14(only 11 can be used as per GOV and FCC)
Common color depths include:
16 bit 24 bit 32 bit
SODIMM DDR2 _____ pins
200
Blu-ray
25 GB (single layer), 50 GB (dual-layer)
what is the maximum number of nodes in a class C network?
254
what is the decimal equivalent of an octet composed of all 1's?
255
PCIe 6-pin and 8-pin power
Additional power for PCI Express adapters -6-pins (75 watts), 8-pin (150 watts) -Provides +12 V Common for high power components like graphics cards Some cables have two pieces -6 pin and 2 pin = 8 pin -Use on both 6 pin and 8 pin connectors
Parity Memory
Adds and additional parity bit Won't always detect an error Cant correct an error
ATAPI
Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface
IPv6 loop back address:
::1
RAID 1+0
A Stripe of Mirrors • Stripe file blocks across mirrored drives • High disk space utilization • High redundancy • Minimum of 4 drives
Which of the following channels should a technician choose when installing multiple wireless access points for a small office home office (SOHO) network to provide the MINIMAL interference? A. 1, 6,11 B. 2, 5,10 C. 3, 7,9 D. 4, 5,8
A. 1, 6, 11
InkJet Printer Calibration
Aligns the nozzles to the paper -Lines should be crisp and color shouldn't overlap
Parallel Communication
All of the bits are transferred simultaneously 32 bit = 32 lines of communication 64 bit = 64 lines of communication
Distance Limitations
All signals degrade -Electrical or optical All devices must adhere to a standard Almost always test in advance to measure signal
International
Association
ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode
Which of the following BEST describes the reason a network administrator would task a technician with replacing a hub with a switch? A. The hub did not provide PoE B. The hub had too many collisions C. The hub was out of ports D. The hub had a bad port
B. The hub had too many collisions
BNC Connectors
Bayonet Neill-Concelman -Paul Niell, Carl Concelman Used on higher end video -Maintain connectivity Component Video -YPbPr -Luminance and sync, Blue, and Red Coaxial cable connector -DS3 WAN links Rigid and bulky
SD
Card Secure Digital Card
CFS
Central File System or Common File System or Command File System
Garbage printout?
Check driver.
Bluetooth classes
Class 1 has a maximum transmission range of 100 meters; Class 2 (the most common) has a range of 10 metersl Class 3 is short range and hardly used at 1 meter. Bluetooth version 1 has a maximum data transfer rate of 721 kb/s; Version 2 is 2.1 Mb/s Version 3 is 24 Mb/s
IP classes
Class A range: 1-126 subnet mask: 255.0.0.0. Private: 10.x.x.x Class B range: 128-191 subnet mask: 255.0.0.0. Private: 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 Class C range: 192-223 subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 Private: 192.168.x.x Loopback is 127.0.0.1 APIPA is 169.254.x.x (also known as link-local) CIDR: Classless Inter-Domain Routing addresses use a prefix (example: 10.150.23.58/24). The /24 indicates a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0
in which networking method are mask bits moved in one-bit increments to provide the exact number of nodes and networks required?
Classless inter-domain routing (CIDR)
Cleaning the Heating Element
Clean thermal printer heating element with Isopropyl alcohol, just the heating element section. Potentially use a cleaning card
What Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setting would you need to change if you wanted the central processing unit (CPU) to operate faster than it was designed to run?
Clock speed
Printer
Color and B&W Connectivity -USB -Ethernet -802.11 wireless -Bluetooth/Infrared
Laser Printer
Combine laser, high voltage, charged ions, powdered ink, heat and paper Very high quality Very fast Complex -Requires on-printer memory -Messy
Video cards
Connect to motherboards by way of x16 PCIe or PCI (uncommon) and cables include DVI, VGA, HDMI, Mini-HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, S-Video, Component Video/RGB, and Composite. Common color depths include 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit. Common Resolutions include: 1280x720 (720p 16:9 aspect ratio) 1920x1080 (HD 1080p, 16:9 aspect ratio) 1366x786 (16:9) 1680x1050 (WSXGA+, 8:5 aspect ratio) 1920x1200 (WSXGA, 8:5) 640x480 (VGA, 4:3). TN is twisted nematic IPS is in-plane switching. IPS has wider viewing angles.
Which of the following connectors can be used for video, audio, and storage devices? A. DVI B. DisplayPort C. HDMI D. Thunderbolt
D. Thunderbolt
Which of the following components is responsible for converting light into digital information? A. Microphone B. Digitizer C. Inverter D. Webcam
D. Webcam
CD-ROM
Data CDs can typically hold 700MB, can read and write at up to 52x (7.8 Mb/s), and can rewrite at up to 32x (4.8 Mb/s)
DMZ
Demilitarized Zone
what term refers to a small section of a private network located between two firewalls and made available for public access?
Demilitarized zone
DMZ
Demilitarized zone: Area of network for servers, not within LAN but between it and the internet. Connects by third leg of firewall.
DoS
Denial of Service
RCA Connecter
Designed in the 1940s by RCA -Phono Connector Composite video -Single RCA connector for the video, one channel -Yellow is video Component Video -Three RCA connectors -TPbPr - Luminance and sync, Blue, Red
Configuration Settings - Printers
Duplex -Printing on both sides of the page without manually flipping over the paper -Not all printers can do this Collate -Print multiple copies in their proper order -Non collated: 1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,4,4,4,4 -Collated: 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 Orientation -Landscape vs Portrait -The printer compensates, it doesn't rotate the paper
_________ is printing on both sides of the paper.
Duplexing
EEPROM
Electrically Erasable Programmable
EMI
Electromagnetic Interference
ESD
Electrostatic Discharge
ERD
Emergency Repair Disk
Port Triggering
Enables you to specify outgoing ports that your computer uses for special applications; their corresponding inbound ports open automatically when the sessions are established.
EULA
End-User License Agreement
EIDE
Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
EPP
Enhanced Parallel Port
EPROM
Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
RJ45
Ethernet -Patch cables, crossover cables -Device Connector Registered Jack -Modular connection 8P8C -8 position, 8 conductor
IP Address
Every device needs a unique IP address -Used to route outside the network
EVDO
Evolution Data Optimized or Evolution Data Only
ECP
Extended Capabilities Port
XGA
Extended Graphics Array
EVGA
Extended Video Graphics Adapter/Array
eSATA
External SATA
Coaxial connectors:
F Connector BNC
Port 21
FTP
Printer Ribbon
Fabric ribbon in a dot-matrix printer -One long ribbon, never ending cycle Easy to replace, single unit Proprietary size
Power Supply Connectors
Fixed Connectors -Connected to power supply, may have too many connectors, may have not enough Modular Connectors -Add cables as needed -Fewer left over wires, better airflow -More expensive
What is the process of updating firmware electronically known as?
Flashing
what term is used when updating firmware electronically?
Flashing
4-Pin ATX +12 V
For ATX12V Advanced Technology Motherboards Additional 12 volt power for older motherboards -Used primarily for the CPU May be labeled ATX12. P4, or CPU -And keyed for the appropriate connector
Port Forwarding
Forwards an external network port to an internal IP address and port.
HPFS
High-Performance File System
CCFL - Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
Higher voltage and power needed Used a power inverter for DC to AC Added thickness to the display No longer a common backlight
HTPC
Home Theater PC
When a computer is booted, the power-on self-test (POST) checks for an operating system. Where can you change the sequence by which the POST checks for the operating system?
In the system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)
IPS
In-Plane Switching
IRP
Incident Response Plan
Registered Memory
Includes an additional register between the RAM module and the memory controller Buffer between the memory itself and the memory controller Called "Buffered" memory Used mostly on servers -More stable operating environment -Rarely used on desktop systems
Which is NOT one of the possible RAM settings you are able to modify within the BIOS of a computer?
Increase RAM from 2048MB to 4096MB
(or
Inexpensive) Discs
IR
Infrared
IrDA
Infrared Data Association
MBR
Master Boot Record
eSATA
Matches the associated SATA revision but at 2 meters
Thunderbolt
Max 3 meters (copper), 60 meters (optical)
Virtualization Workstation
Maximum RAM Every OS needs its own memory - It adds up quick! Maximum CPU cores -Constant processing -Need efficient CPU
MAC
Media Access Control or Mandatory Access Control
MAU
Media Access Unit or Media Attachment Unit
Home Server PC
Media streaming -Central locations File Sharing -Easy Access Print Sharing -One printer Gigabit NIC -High speed trasnfers RAID Array -Redundant storage
OS
Operating System
OCR
Optical Character Recognition
_________ drives use removable media to store and retrieve data.
Optical Disc
T568B wiring standard(wire order):
Orange-White, Orange Green-white, Blue Blue-White, Green Brown-White, Brown
OLED
Organic Light Emitting Diode -Organic compound emits light when receiving and electric current Thinner and lighter, flexible and mobile, no glass needed No backlight -The organic compound provides the light True black color Lifespan can be shorter than LED
OPC Drum
Organic Photoconductor Drum -Sensitive to light, keep it in the bag For laser Printers
which expansion slot is used for high speed graphics cards and high speed network cards?
PCIe
Types of expansion buses include:
PCIe PCI
Port 110
POP3
PS/2 to USB
PS/2 keyboard or mouse interface and a USB keyboard or mouse
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCIX
Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended
PCIe
Peripheral Component Interconnect express
PVC
Permanent Virtual Circuit
PAN
Personal Area Network
PC
Personal Computer
PCMCIA
Personal Computer Memory Card
PIN
Personal Identification Number
PS/2
Personal System/2 Connector
Tests whether another host is available over the network. (cmd)
Ping
Display Filters
Privacy -Fade the screen to black or gold when viewed at an angle -Placed on the front of a display Anti-Glare -Glossy screens are common -Reduce glare -Improve viewing -Useful in bright light
RFC 1918 addresses
Private addresses, cannot be routed over the internet 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 (The Ten Dot Network) -16,77,216 addresses per range -Host size 24 bits 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 -1,048,576 address -20 bits host size 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255 -65,536 addresses -16 bits
Laser-printing imaging process:
Processing Charging Exposing Developing Transferring Fusing Cleaning
PROM
Programmable Read-Only Memory
SSL
Secure Sockets Layer
What category of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) settings should you look for if you wanted to enable or disable Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on the host operating system?
Security
Analog modulation
Send an analog signal over an analog channel • AM and FM audio over radio frequencies
Analog and Digital Modulation
Send an analog signal over an analog channel AM and FM audio over radio frequencies Digital -Send digital bitstream over an analog channel -Send digital audio signal over satellite radio frequencies
SAS
Serial Attached SCSI
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface
"Dual Rail" PSU
The purpose of this is to separate and limit the current through each wire to avoid overheating.
Laser Printer Cleaning
Water, isopropyl alcohol -Don't use harsh chemicals -Wipe dust away, don't use vacuum or compressed air Wash off skin with cold water
ZIF
Zero Insertion Force
Used to query DNS servers to find out DNS details, including the IP address of hosts. (cmd)
nslookup
resolves IP address to hostname (cmd)
ping -a
PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory)
• Programmable ROM • Write once
IPv6 addresses
are 128-bit hexadecimal numbers (example: 2001:7120:0000:8001:0000:0000:0000:1F10). ::1 is the loopback address. Unicast IPv6 addresses are assigned to a single interface and are the most common type.
Hard Drives
are nonvolatile devices that store data.
Laptops
are smaller versions of desktop PCs. They have replaceable items such as keyboards, touchpads, SODIMM RAM, displays, inverters, batteries, optical disc drives, smart card readers, and 2.5" or 1.8' hard drives (SSD, HDD, or HYBRID). They use M.2, MIni PCIe, and MIni PCI (internal) and ExpressCard /34 and /54 (external) technologies. THey have Fn key for implementing secondary key functions.
what is the key attribute of internet message access protocol(IMAP) that make it different from Post office Protocol 3(POP3)?
emails are stored on a remote server until the user deletes them
what does a power over Ethernet (PoE) injector allow you to do?
enable a PoE-compliant device to connect to a non-PoE switch
what is another way of saying data transfer speeds?
"throughput"
NAT
(Network Address Translation): process of modifying an IP address as it crosses a router. Translates from one network to another.
nbtstat
- Query NetBIOS over TCP/IP information •nbtstat -n - List local NetBIOS names •nbtstat -A <ip address> - List remote NetBIOS names •nbtstat -a <device name> - List remote NetBIOS names
Ranks
-Groups of memory on a module that can be independently accessed -Memory controller moves between the ranks -Also called "sides"
what are the only three channels in the 2.4GHz wifi spectrum that do NOT overlap with each other?
1,6,11
Set-top Box
Add "intelligence" to TVs
IPv4 Class A Private range:
10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
Magnetic Tape
100 GB to multiple TB / cartridge
when someone mentions " fast Ethernet" what speed are they referring to?
100 Mbps
Bluetooth Class I maximum transmission range:
100 meters
Gigabit Ethernet is:
1000 Mb/s
FAT12
12-Bit File Allocation Table
USB can have up to _____ devices.
127
IPv4 loopback address:
127.0.0.1
SATA revision 3.2 (SATA Express) Maximum data transfer rate is ______
16 Gb/s (1969 MB/s)
FAT16
16-Bit File Allocation Table
how many pins does a SDRAM have?
184-pin module (uses additional power and grounding lines)
RAID 1 requires ____ disks.
2 and only 2
802.11g frequency:
2.4 GHz
802.11b
2.4 GHz 11 Mbit/s 11 Mbit/s 140 meters
802.11g
2.4 GHz 54 Mbit/s 54 Mbit/s 4 meters
802.11n frequency:
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Thunderbolt v2:
20 Gbit/s aggregated channels
SODIMM DDR _____ pins
200
SODIMM DDR3 _____ pins
204
Bluetooth version 3 max data transfer rate:
24 Mb/s
ATX 12V 2.x power supplies connect to the motherboard by way of _____ cable + ____/____ for CPU and ____/____ for PCIe video.
24 pin 4 pin /8 pin 6 pin /8 pin
what port does the hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) service use?
443
USB 2.0 runs at ______ with a max cable length of ______.
480 Mb/s 5 meters
802.11a frequency:
5 GHz
802.11ac frequency:
5 GHz
USB 3.0 runs at ______.
5 Gb/s
Fuser Assembly
Heat and pressure -Melt toner power to paper and permanently bond toner to paper
802.11a Data transfer rate:
54 Mb/s
802.11g Data transfer rate:
54 Mb/s
TIA/EIA Standards
568A 568B
how many pins are in a rj-45 cable?
8
IEEE 1394b runs at ______.
800 Mb/s
which wireless standard supports speeds up to 54Mbps in the %GHz frequency band?
802.11a
A technician is responsible for setting up laptops in a room for a small conference. The laptops need to communicate with each other as well as a workstation in the room. The workstation has a wireless expansion card. A switch is not available for the laptops and they cannot access the corporate network. Which of the following does the technician need to implement? A. Adhoc network B. Bluetooth network C. Serial network D. USB network
A. Adhoc network
A small office would like to offer Internet access to customers while onsite. However, customers should not be able to access any corporate data. Which of the following networking features would BEST enable this? A. Configure a guest wireless network B. Implement a DMZ C. Disable NAT on the wireless network D. Disable the SSID E. Assign static IPs for all devices
A. Configure a guest wireless network
A customer needs a router that will be able to handle all incoming and outgoing networking traffic independent of the rest of the building. The customer would like the PCs to immediately connect to the Internet and network resources without any additional configuration. Which of the following should the technician do to meet the requirements? A. Configure the router for DHCP. B. Configure the router for NAT. C. Configure the router for port forwarding. D. Configure the router for QoS.
A. Configure the router for DHCP
A technician is tasked with upgrading the hard drives of a high-end workstation to SSD. The drives must be configured in a RAID array, but the RAID card does not support SSD. Which of the following would the technician verify in order to use the new drives? A. Controller firmware B. Power requirements C. File system type D. System BIOS
A. Controller firmware
A user is trying to use an external hard drive with an incompatible file system. Which of the following tools will allow the user to change the file system on the hard drive? A. format B. defrag C. bootrec D. chkdsk
A. Format
An IT Director wants to increase security on the company website to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Which of the following Internet protocols should be implemented to meet the requirement? A. HTTPS B. IMAP C. TELNET D. SMTP
A. HTTPS
Which of the following is an advantage of using static IP addresses for a business? A. High availability B. Simplifies IP management C. Lower security risk D. Scalability for upgrades
A. High Availability
A new company is thinking of upgrading its media workstation in the conference room. The computer will be predominantly used for graphically intensive presentations, slideshows, and video gaming tournaments. Which of the following BEST satisfies the needs of the company? A. High-end video, high-end audio, multicore processor B. Minimum RAM required, network connectivity, high-end cooling C. Media streaming, file sharing, gigabit NIC, dual monitors, TV tuner D. Network connectivity, TV tuner, surround sound audio, dual monitors
A. High-end video, high-end audio, multicore processor
A finance officer has submitted a request for a new wireless access point. The technician has set up the physical equipment and powered it on, but the router will not recognize it. Which of the following should the technician do to correct the problem? A. Install firmware updates B. Run Windows updates C. Perform RPM updates D. Use apt-get for updates
A. Install firmware updates
After migrating a network-based print queue to a new server, users are reporting that documents are not printing correctly and print jobs will error out or print garbled text. Which of the following actions will BEST resolve this issue for the affected users? A. Install the correct drivers on the server. B. Delete and reconnect to the print queue on the client machine. C. Restart the print queues on the print server. D. Reinstall the printer drivers on the client desktops.
A. Install the correct drivers on the server.
Which of the following monitor technologies provide the widest viewing angle with rich colors and consistent backlighting? (Select TWO). A. Light Emitting Diode B. In-Plane Switching C. Plasma D. Twisted Nematic E. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
A. Light Emitting Diode B. In-Plane Switching
A user is searching for a piano keyboard to connect to a PC. The user would like the keyboard to communicate with the PC. Which of the following features should the user look for on a piano keyboard to BEST facilitate this? A. MIDI B. USB C. TCP D. HDMI
A. MIDI
A user wants to quickly share pictures between mobile devices. The devices will be in close proximity so the necessity of a third party service and/or another networking device is not required. Which of the following is the BEST option for this scenario? A. NFC B. USB C. IR D. WiFi
A. NFC
Which of the following wireless technologies is LEAST likely to be intercepted by a third party? A. NFC B. Bluetooth C. WiFi D. Cellular
A. NFC
Which of the following is an advantage of using DHCP for network addressing? A. Simplified configuration B. More addresses are available C. Faster connection speeds D. Lower latency times
A. Simplified configuration
A user is on a business trip with a company issued Windows 7 laptop and is unable to connect to corporate WLAN. To temporarily reconfigure the settings, which of the following must the technician must access? A. Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center/Change Adapter Settings/Wireless Network Connection Properties B. Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center/Manage Wireless Networks/Profile Types C. Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center/Manage Wireless Networks/Add/Create an ad hoc network D. Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center/Manage Wireless Networks/Add/Manually create a network profile
A. Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center/Change Adapter Settings/Wireless Network Connection Properties
Which of the following devices is BEST to use when designing a SOHO network to ensure the least amount of collisions? A. Switch B. Bridge C. Hub D. Access point
A. Switch
A computer technician wants to boot up a computer using a USB flash drive. After inserting the USB drive and powering on the computer, it does not boot to the flash drive and instead boots to the OS on the hard drive. Which of the following is MOST likely the cause? A. The boot order in the BIOS is incorrect B. The hard drive is not formatted C. There is a disc in the optical drive D. There is insufficient memory
A. The boot order in the BIOS is incorrect
Which of the following MUST be the same when replacing a hard drive in a laptop? A. The interface type of the existing drive B. The speed of the new drive C. The total data capacity of the PC D. The cache size of the new drive
A. The interface type of the existing drive
A PC has been randomly rebooting several times a day. The technician checks the case for overheating and finds the fans appear to be operating normally. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT? A. The motherboard for any sign of swollen capacitors B. The disk drive to determine if it is defragmented and operating properly C. The embedded NIC to ensure it has the latest firmware and drivers D. The RAM to confirm it is the correct type for the motherboard being used
A. The motherboard for any sign of swollen capacitors
A technician receives a call that a client's PC is not booting after a recent test of the building's back-up generators. When the technician arrives, it is discovered that, once powered on, there is no output display or POST beep codes. Furthermore, after 15 seconds, the system's fans begin running much louder and faster. Which of the following is the MOST likely issue? A. The motherboard was damaged by the power test. B. The PC's RAM was affected by ESD. C. The power supply was damaged and is nonfunctional. D. The hard drive was erased due to the power test.
A. The motherboard was damaged by the power test.
A network technician has been tasked with deploying new VoIP phones on a network. When the technician plugs the Ethernet cable for the phone into the wall port, the phone fails to turn on. When the technician plugs the Ethernet cable directly into the computer, the computer is able to access the network. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue? A. The network switch does not support PoE B. The technician is connecting the phone to the wrong type of port C. The firewall on the network is blocking access to the DHCP server D. The Ethernet cable is the wrong type
A. The network switch does not support PoE
An office printer that was working earlier in the day is no longer printing any documents. Pre-existing workstations are manually configured to print to the printer directly over the network. A technician has started to troubleshoot the problem and determines that the printer can still be seen in the network directory. The technician has also verified that the printer can print selfdiagnostic pages successfully. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem? A. The printer's IP address has changed. B. The network print spooler service has been restarted. C. "Perform Printer Maintenance" message is displayed on the printer's LCD panel. D. Two or more users sent print jobs simultaneously, causing a print collision.
A. The printer's IP address has changed
An office printer that was working earlier in the day is no longer printing any documents. Pre- existing workstations are manually configured to print to the printer directly over the network. A technician has started to troubleshoot the problem and determines that the printer can still be seen in the network directory. The technician has also verified that the printer can print self- diagnostic pages successfully. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem? A. The printer's IP address has changed. B. The network print spooler service has been restarted. C. "Perform Printer Maintenance" message is displayed on the printer's LCD panel. D. Two or more users sent print jobs simultaneously, causing a print collision.
A. The printer's IP address has changed.
The OSD of a monitor indicates the proper video source is selected, but no image is displayed. Which of the following issues are the MOST likely reasons? (Select TWO). A. The source cable is disconnected B. The monitor's brightness is set too low C. The backlighting of the monitor is faulty D. The monitor's contrast is set too high E. No device is sending source video
A. The source cable is disconnected E. No device is sending source video
A user has received an error message when connecting to the wireless network. The error indicates the IP address being used by the user's system is already in use. A DHCP server is used on the network. After having the user disconnect from the wireless network, the technician is still able to ping the user's IP address. Which of the following is MOST likely the cause? A. The user has a statically assigned IP address in the DHCP server scope. B. The system's local firewall is blocking SYN/ACK traffic from the DHCP server. C. The DHCP server's scope has been exhausted and no additional IP addresses are available. D. The user is also connected to the wired network with a LAN cable.
A. The user has a statically assigned IP address in the DHCP server scope.
A technician works for a company that has virtual servers and virtual desktops. The company hires a user who only needs to access the virtual desktops. Which of the following is the MOST cost-effective workstation to purchase? A. Thin client B. Gaming PC C. CAD PC D. Thick client
A. Thin Client
A technician is building a workstation that will only be used to connect remotely to a server. Which of the following types of PC configurations is BEST suited for this task? A. Thin client B. Home server PC C. CAD workstation D. AV workstation
A. Thin client
A laptop has a network port that is not working consistently and wireless is out of range. Which of the following would the technician do to quickly get the laptop back on the wired network? A. Use a USB to RJ-45 dongle B. Enable Bluetooth C. Enable NIC teaming D. Replace the motherboard
A. Use a USB to RJ-45 dongle
The technician would like to upgrade a workstation by adding a USB 3.0 card, and upgrading the video card, sound card, and NIC. The technician is concerned about power consumption by the expansion cards. Which of the following upgrades would MOST likely require also upgrading the power supply? A. Video card B. USB 3.0 card C. Sound card D. Network card
A. Video card
A user, Ann, is preparing to travel abroad and wants to ensure that her laptop will work properly. Which of the following components of the laptop should be verified FIRST to ensure power compatibility before traveling? A. Wall adapter B. Battery C. Power supply D. Digitizer
A. Wall adapter
A user, Ann, reports that her company laptop cannot pick up a wireless connection in certain areas of a building. However, users working on their laptops in the common areas have Internet connectivity. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause? A. Weak RF signals B. Out of date Ethernet driver C. Enabled MAC filtering D. Duplicate IP addresses
A. Weak RF signals
Recently a company updated their network infrastructure. A user reports that a laptop is experiencing slower network speeds since the update. Which of the following would the technician replace, rather than purchase a new device? A. Wireless NIC B. CPU C. RAM D. Hard drive
A. Wireless NIC
A user wants to extend a PC's capacity by connecting external devices. Which of the following connectors will allow the user to accomplish this? (Select TWO). A. eSATA B. IEEE 1394 C. SATA D. EIDE E. IDE
A. eSATA B. IEEE 1394
When a technician is planning to replace a laptop hard drive, the technician will need to: A. select a drive that is the correct form factor. B. choose the correct drive cache size for the laptop. C. also upgrade the memory. D. verify voltage requirements.
A. select a drive that is the correct form factor.
Port 548 or 427
AFP
Alternating Current
AC -Direction of current is constantly changing or alternating -Distributes electricity efficiently over long distances -Frequency of this cycle is important US/Canada - 110 to 120 votls of AC (VAC), 60 hertz (Hz) Europe - 220-240 VAC, 50 Hz
AUP
Acceptable Use Policy
ACL
Access Control List
AP
Access Point
Print to PDF
Adobe PDF -Portable Document Format -A one-way path from application to PDF -Cross-platform compatibility Proprietary adobe format Many third party tools available
AHCI
Advanced Host Controller Interface
APM
Advanced Power Management
ATA
Advanced Technology Attachment
ATX
Advanced Technology Extended
Speakers
Analog output devices Connectivity -TRS jacks or
Native Resolution
And LCD Display is fixed -The number of pixels don't change -A mismatch can cause distortion If changin resolution, use a multiple of the native resolution
1-40. Performance-based question: Put these computer interface standards in order from fastest to slowest. Use all of the available options. A. USB 3.0 B. One stream of 802.11n C. SATA Revision 3.0 D. FireWire Beta mode
Answer: C) SATA Revision 3.0 (6.0 Gbit/s) A) USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/s) D) FireWire Beta mode (800 Mbit/s) B) One stream of 802.11n (150 Mbit/s)
1-150. Which of these socket types would you associate with an Intel CPU? Pick two. A. 2011 B. 775 C. FM2 D. AM3+
Answer: A. 2011 and B. 775 The Socket T (775 pins) and Socket R (2011 pins) are unique to Intel. The Socket FM2 and Socket AM3+ are AMD socket types.
1-73. Which of these throughput speeds would you expect to see on a single direction of a PCI Express v2.x lane? A. 500 MB/s B. 20 MB/s C. 500 GB/s D. 133 MB/s
Answer: A. 500 MB/s PCIe version 2.x supports 500 megabytes per second of throughput on a single lane.
1-146. The Power On Self Test process performs a series of hardware diagnostics before the operating system loads. Which of these problems would NOT be found during POST? A. A missing CPU heat sink B. A faulty video card C. A bad RAM module D. A bad hard drive
Answer: A. A missing CPU heat sink A heat sink's job is to redistribute the heat from a hot CPU into the heat sink, where it's then cooled by the constant airflow through the computer case. If the heat sink is missing or isn't connected well, you won't know there's a problem until the CPU heats up. Bad video cards can be a problem, since no video means you have no visual feedback on the boot process. For bad video cards, the BIOS often beeps to inform you of the bad video. Since nearly everything on your computer uses the RAM, those chips are given a good once-over during the POST process. When a hard drive goes missing, it's an easy thing to identify. If a drive is missing or won't respond, the BIOS will complain.
1-41. Which of these would you use to convert between USB A and USB B? A. A single cable with different connectors on each end B. A cable with both connectors and a signal converter C. Convert USB A to Ethernet before converting to USB B D. Pass all USB signals through a USB hub E. A conversion is not possible
Answer: A. A single cable with different connectors on each end USB A and USB B signals are electrically compatible, so you only need a cable with different connectors on each end.
1-19. You've just replaced the SATA hard drive in your desktop PC with an SSD. Which of these changes should you expect? Pick two. A. Access to your data on the SSD should be faster than the hard drive B. The SSD should require more defragmentation than the hard drive C. The SSD should make as much noise as your hard drive when accessing data D. The SSD should have very similar motherboard connections as the existing hard drive interface
Answer: A. Access to your data on the SSD should be faster than the hard drive and D. The SSD should have very similar motherboard connections as the existing hard drive interface Solid-state drives are memory-based, so there are no moving parts to slow down the computer or to make additional noise. Most SSDs are SATA connected and do not require any defragmentation. Since writes are limited, most operating systems are smart enough to avoid using unnecessary writes to an SSD.
1-168. What is commonly used to cool a heat sink? A. Air B. Water C. Thermal Paste D. Coolant
Answer: A. Air A heat sink works by dissipating heat from hot components using thermal conduction. The heat is then transferred to the much cooler air that is constantly blown through the computer case.
1-65. Which of these would you expect to find in a BIOS configuration? A. Boot device order B. Windows startup programs C. IP address configuration details D. Windows boot options
Answer: A. Boot device order The BIOS configuration settings would include the date, time, boot device order, and other system configuration values. Windows configuration settings would not be stored in the BIOS configuration.
1-91. Which of these would be best matched with a liquid cooling system? A. CAD workstation B. Web server C. Print server D. Email gateway
Answer: A. CAD workstation An application that uses high levels of CPU and video processing would need as much cooling as possible. A computer aided design (CAD) workstation requires intense CPU and video processing.
1-16. What type of memory is used to improve the performance of CPU instruction processing? A. Cache B. Static C. Hybrid D. SDRAM
Answer: A. Cache A processor's L1, L2, and L3 cache can dramatically increase the number of instructions passing through the CPU.
1-278. Your diagnostic software is reporting that your computer's CPU is overheating. The CPU has a heat sink, but it doesn't appear to be working very well. What should you check to ensure the heat sink is optimally cooling your CPU? Pick three. A. Check that all fans are working properly B. Make sure all vents are clear from obstruction C. Make sure your memory modules are using the correct clock rate D. Ensure the proper amount of thermal paste is on the CPU
Answer: A. Check that all fans are working properly and B. Make sure all vents are clear from obstruction and D. Ensure the proper amount of thermal paste is on the CPU Your computer's cooling system works together to keep temperatures low. If your fans can't pull air through the computer, then the heat sinks can't dissipate the heat into the air.
1-154. You've installed some new memory sticks into your PC, and now you'd like to confirm the amount of installed RAM. Which of these would be the best way to check the amount of installed RAM? A. Check the BIOS settings B. Boot with a Linux LiveCD C. Cross-reference the text on the memory modules D. Check the manufacturer documentation
Answer: A. Check the BIOS settings The BIOS settings can tell you exactly how much memory your computer sees when it starts up, and it's the ultimate check of how much memory you have installed. If your BIOS won't see it, then your operating system certainly won't see it.
1-230. What is the name that describes the grouping of sectors on a hard drive? A. Cluster B. Bunch C. Track D. Segment
Answer: A. Cluster To optimize the overhead of managing such a huge amount of space, hard drives combine individual sectors together into groups called clusters.
1-141. Which of these interface types commonly use a combination of three RCA video connectors? A. Component video B. Display Port C. SCSI D. SATA E. Composite video
Answer: A. Component video Component video provides separate signals for Luminance and sync, blue, and red, and it commonly uses RCA connectors. The RCA name refers to the Radio Corporation of America, who designed the connectors in the 1940s.
1-235. You have a set of files that totals 7 gigabytes of information. Which optical formats can store these files on a single optical disc? Choose two. A. DVD-ROM B. CD-ROM C. Blu-ray D. Secure Digital
Answer: A. DVD-ROM and C. Blu-ray The DVD-ROM format can store 8.5 gigabytes in dual-layer mode, and Blu-ray can store up to 50 gigabytes in dual-layer mode. CD-ROMs max out around 700 megabytes, and Secure Digital (SD) is a flash memory format.
1-85. Which of these laser printer components allow the printing of information on both sides of a page? A. Duplexing assembly B. Fuser assembly C. Transfer belt D. Separation pad E. Pickup rollers
Answer: A. Duplexing assembly The duplexing assembly of a laser printer flips the page so that information can be printed on both sides during a single printing process.
1-68. What does the D in SDRAM stand for? A. Dynamic B. Disk C. Density D. Double
Answer: A. Dynamic In Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory, the dynamic part refers to the constant refreshing of the memory that must occur to maintain the charge in the memory capacitors. Without constant refreshing, dynamic memory would quickly "forget about" the contents.
1-261. What kind of memory might be used in a server to detect and correct data corruption? A. ECC B. SO-DIMM C. DDR3 D. Parity
Answer: A. ECC ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory can detect memory data issues and correct the errors on the fly.
1-15. Which of these memory types are designed to detect errors? Pick two. A. ECC B. SDRAM C. DDR D. Parity memory
Answer: A. ECC and D. Parity memory Parity memory includes an additional parity bit that helps to identify errors, but it's not designed to correct the error. Error Correcting Code (ECC) Memory can detect and correct memory errors on the fly.
1-188. Which of these would be most commonly associated with OLED? A. Electricity creates light from organic compounds B. Refreshes the screen using a cathode C. Contains cells of noble gas and mercury D. Requires a very bright light E. Relatively slow response times
Answer: A. Electricity creates light from organic compounds Organic Light Emitting Diode screens provide light when an organic component is subjected to electricity.
1-1. Which of these connection types would you most commonly associate with NAS? A. Ethernet B. eSATA C. USB D. FireWire E. Serial
Answer: A. Ethernet NAS (Network Address Storage) is accessible across the network, so one of the most common NAS connections is over Ethernet.
1-267. Which of these would you commonly associate with the Southbridge? A. Ethernet interface B. Memory controller hub C. Front-side bus D. PCI express slots
Answer: A. Ethernet interface The traditional role of the Southbridge has been to manage devices that require relatively low throughput. The Northbridge handles high-speed connectivity from devices such as the PCI Express slots, memory, and CPU, and the Southbridge effectively handles everything else.
1-194. You have purchased a new computer that includes a port marked "IEEE 1394." What is a more common name for this port? A. FireWire B. Thunderbolt C. USB D. eSATA E. Lightning
Answer: A. FireWire The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has created a standard interface for connecting peripheral devices called the IEEE 1394 standard. When Apple added these ports to their computers, they created "FireWire," a more user-friendly name to refer to the IEEE 1394 ports. Although the name might be different, the interfaces and ports are identical.
1-268. All of the pages printed from your laser printer smudge and smear when you touch the page. Which part of the laser printing process is most likely to be the cause of this issue? A. Fusing B. Developing C. Transfering D. Cleaning
Answer: A. Fusing The fusing process heats the toner and permanently bonds the plastic toner powder to the paper. If the toner isn't properly heating the paper, then parts of the page will smear and smudge when you touch the powdery toner.
1-283. Which of these functions would you expect to find embedded in a modern PC processor? Pick two. A. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) B. BIOS C. Memory controller D. SATA controller
Answer: A. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and C. Memory controller Modern CPUs have collapsed the traditional computer chipset by embedding the memory controller and the graphics processor directly into the primary CPU.
1-127. Which of these characteristics would be most desirable for a home theater PC? Pick two. A. HDMI output B. Maximum number of CPU cores C. TV tuner D. SSD
Answer: A. HDMI output and C. TV tuner A home theater PC uses a small form-factor case, HDMI output, a TV tuner, and plenty of hard drive space. There's no particular requirement for high CPU utilization or high-speed storage devices in a home theater computer.
1-262. Which of these motherboards would be best suited for low-power use? A. ITX B. ATX C. microATX D. BTX
Answer: A. ITX The ITX line of motherboards was designed for very small form factors and use a minimum amount of power.
1-227. Which of these motherboard bus types is designed for servers and has a throughput of 1,064 MB/s? A. PCI-X B. PCI Express C. PCI D. miniPCI
Answer: A. PCI-X Since servers often require large bandwidths for networking and storage, an extension to the PCI standard was created to fill this need. Today, most servers will use PCI Express for their high-bandwidth applications.
1-199. Which of these would be true about RAID 1? A. In the case of a failure, an exact duplicate of your data exists B. RAID 1 is generally much faster than RAID 0 C. In the case of failure, the array is broken and data is unrecoverable D. Data is made redundant through the use of parity blocks
Answer: A. In the case of a failure, an exact duplicate of your data exists RAID 1 may not be the fastest form of RAID, but it's certainly one of the safest. With RAID 1, data is completely duplicated between drives. If a drive were to fail, the remaining drive would continue to provide uninterrupted data reading and writing.
1-202. Which of these would be a disadvantage of inkjet printers? A. Ink fades over time B. Requires on-printer memory C. Output is sensitive to light and heat D. Poor graphic output E. Loud operation
Answer: A. Ink fades over time The ink used in an inkjet printer is very vibrant and colorful when first printed, but the image fades over time. You would not use inkjet printer output to archive information over an extended period of time.
1-37. Which of these items would you most likely find in a thermal printer maintenance kit? A. Isopropyl alcohol B. Printer carriage C. Print head D. Fuser unit
Answer: A. Isopropyl alcohol A thermal printer has very few moving parts and the entire print mechanism is a single heating element. You won't find a printer carriage, print head, or fuser unit in a thermal printer. Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used to keep the thermal printer heating element and feed rollers clean.
1-114. Which of these would be categorized as both an input and an output device? Pick two. A. KVM B. LCD display C. Laser printer D. Touch screen E. Microphone
Answer: A. KVM and D. Touch screen A Keyboard/Video/Mouse switch can send keyboard and mouse input and display video output. A touch screen is an output device that also allows input by touching the display itself.
1-111. Which of these would you most likely find in a computer's BIOS? A. Keyboard diagnostics B. Hard drive partitioning options C. Windows startup process troubleshooting D. Performance Manager long-term graphs
Answer: A. Keyboard diagnostics Many BIOS systems now include a set of hardware diagnostics, including tests for video, storage, and input devices.
1-139. What kind of printer renders the entire page in memory before it begins printing? A. Laser B. Inkjet C. Dot-matrix D. Thermal
Answer: A. Laser A laser printer isn't designed to start and stop during the printing process, so it has to have the entire page ready to print before the paper begins to move through the printer. If a page is particularly complex, it's possible to run out of memory in the printer before anything prints.
1-27. Which of these would be the best example of using a TPM? A. Manage BitLocker encryption keys B. Manage hard drive partitions C. Install a new video driver D. Upgrade the operating system
Answer: A. Manage BitLocker encryption keys The trusted platform module is designed to assist with a PC's encryption and decryption processes.
1-189. What type of connector is commonly used with S-Video? A. Mini-DIN B. 15-pin DB C. RJ-45 D. RCA
Answer: A. Mini-DIN The S-Video connector is most commonly used over a Mini-DIN connector.
1-128. Which of these motherboard types would be the best choice for a small form factor media center PC? A. Mini-ITX B. ATX C. ITX D. ITX
Answer: A. Mini-ITX The Mini-ITX is the smallest motherboard type listed above, and it includes an expansion slot to add additional features.
1-216. Which of these would be considered a characteristic of IPS LCD displays? A. More expensive to produce than a TN display B. Poor color representation C. Low power draw D. Fast response times
Answer: A. More expensive to produce than a TN display IPS (In Plane Switching) LCD displays have an excellent color representation and do not tail when touched, but they are a bit more expensive to produce than TN (Twisted Nematic) displays.
1-196. Which of these are important to consider when converting from DVI-A to VGA? A. No additional converter is required when converting from DVI-A B. Includes both a DisplayPort and PCI Express signal C. Electrically compatible with USB 3.0 D. Requires an additional power source E. An active converter cable is required
Answer: A. No additional converter is required when converting from DVI-A The analog version of DVI is called DVI-A, and it's backward compatible with VGA at the resolution of 640 x 480. Since you're converting from analog to analog, no additional converter is required.
1-271. In a traditional Northbridge/Southbridge motherboard architecture, where would you expect to see the video adapter connected? A. Northbridge B. Southbridge C. FSB D. Memory bus
Answer: A. Northbridge If it's a part of the computer that needs a lot of bandwidth, then you can bet that it's connected to (or near) the Northbridge. Lower bandwidth devices are often found near the Southbridge.
1-137. Where is an inkjet print head normally located? A. On the printer ink cartridges B. In the toner cartridge C. On the printer carriage D. In the duplexing assembly E. Inkjet printers don't use a print head
Answer: A. On the printer ink cartridges Inkjet print heads are notorious for clogging over time, so it's common to have a new print head included on the printer cartridges. When you change the print cartridge, you also effectively get a new print head.
1-291. How many physical CPU chips are required for a quad-core processor? A. One B. Two C. Four D. Eight
Answer: A. One A multi-core processor consists of a single physical processor that includes multiple processor cores on the chip.
1-276. Which of these components would be most commonly associated with a 6-pin power connector? A. PCIe video adapter B. SSD C. CPU fan D. Primary motherboard power
Answer: A. PCIe video adapter Both 6-pin and 8-pin power options are available to provide additional power to PCI Express devices that need to supplement power from the motherboard. It's common to use these power connectors on devices such as PCIe video adapters.
1-145. What kind of processor socket fits into a Socket AM3? A. PGA B. Slot C. DIP D. ZIP
Answer: A. PGA A pin grid array processor generally fits into sockets that have hundreds of small pins on them. AMD's Socket AM3 uses a PGA package and a ZIF (zero insertion force) socket on the motherboard.
1-54. What type of socket package is an AMD Socket AM3? A. PGA B. LGA C. SECC D. DIP
Answer: A. PGA The AMD Socket AM3 uses a PGA package. All of the AMD sockets in the 220-901 exam objectives are PGAZIF packages. Conversely, all of the Intel processors listed in the exam objectives are LGA sockets.
1-95. You need to install a high-end video capture adapter into a desktop computer. What kind of adapter card interface would be most appropriate for this purpose? A. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express B. Industry Standard Architecture C. Accelerated Graphics Port D. Peripheral Component Interconnect
Answer: A. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express The PCI Express bus is the fastest and most flexible adapter type for systems that have high-bandwidth needs. On an x16 PCI Express 3.0 bus, the total bandwidth is about 16 gigabytes per second!
1-18. Which of these characteristics would be most important for a CAD/CAM workstation? Pick two. A. Powerful processor B. High-end video C. Enhanced audio D. HDMI interfaces E. TV tuner
Answer: A. Powerful processor and B. High-end video A graphical workstation needs a high-end video adapter and plenty of CPU processing. A graphics workstation doesn't require enhanced audio or a TV tuner, and the type of video interface is not a critical consideration.
1-198. Which of these RAID types splits data evenly across two or more disks, but does not provide any data redundancy? A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 1+0
Answer: A. RAID 0 RAID 0 separates data and splits it across multiple disks. While this provides some speed advantages, any drive failure breaks the entire array and user data would be lost.
1-301. Assuming the same disk array hardware, which of these might be a reason to choose RAID 0 instead of RAID 1? A. RAID 0 provides more available storage space than RAID 1 B. RAID 0 provides more redundancy than RAID 1 C. RAID 0 is more secure than RAID 1 D. RAID 0 includes built-in data security
Answer: A. RAID 0 provides more available storage space than RAID 1 RAID 0 splits files between drives, using all available disk space. RAID 1 duplicates every file, providing high redundancy but only half of the total disk space can be used for storage.
1-61. You've received a message in your error log that a drive in your RAID 1 array is faulty. What's the best way to rebuild this RAID 1 array? A. RAID 1 arrays are redundant, so you simply need to replace the bad drive B. RAID 1 arrays are not redundant, so you'll need to replace the drive and restore from a backup C. RAID 1 arrays are redundant, but will still require restoration from backup after the drive is replaced D. RAID 1 arrays cannot be rebuilt
Answer: A. RAID 1 arrays are redundant, so you simply need to replace the bad drive RAID 1 is a mirrored array, where data is completely duplicated across physical hard drives. If you lose a hard drive, the array is redundant and will continue to operate; usually without any loss of performance. I've personally identified bad hard drives in RAID 1 arrays that failed months prior, without anyone realizing there was a problem. Rebuilding the drive array is relatively easy. If the drive array supports hot swapping, you don't even need to power down your computer during the drive replacement. The RAID array will recognize that a new drive has been added to the array and will duplicate the existing data to construct a new RAID 1 mirror.
1-58. Which of these would not be a best practice for removing a paper jam from an inkjet printer? A. Remove all of the ink cartridges before clearing the jam B. Check for any loose scraps of paper still in the paper path C. Use a firm pressure to remove paper from the path D. Remove the paper tray before clearing the jam
Answer: A. Remove all of the ink cartridges before clearing the jam It's not necessary to remove any of the ink cartridges before clearing a paper jam.
1-97. Which of these tasks would you most likely associate with thermal printer maintenance? A. Remove paper debris B. Replace duplexer page rollers C. Replace the print head D. Run a printer calibration E. Reset the page counter
Answer: A. Remove paper debris There are very few moving parts in a thermal printer, and the maintenance tasks usually focus around replacing the thermal paper, cleaning off the heating element, and removing small bits of paper debris that accumulate over time. The thermal printer does not have a traditional print head, toner, or ink.
1-167. One of your clients uses an infrared wireless printer with her laptop. Which of these is a disadvantage of infrared connections? A. Requires a line-of-sight between the devices B. Susceptible to interference from microwave ovens and other RFI C. Does not work with all applications D. Requires a mobile broadband connection
Answer: A. Requires a line-of-sight between the devices The Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standard uses infrared light to transmit data between devices. Unlike 802.11 wireless, the light used by IrDA must use a line-of-sight to maintain connectivity.
1-214. Which of these interface types provide the fastest throughput? A. SATA revision 1.0 B. USB 2.0 C. FireWire 400 D. Fast Ethernet
Answer: A. SATA revision 1.0 Although SATA revision 1.0 is the relatively old first-generation of SATA technology, the 1.5 gigabits per second of throughput exceed the other technologies listed here: SATA revision 1.0 = 1.5 gigabits per second, USB 2.0 = 480 megabits per second, Firewire 400 = 400 megabits per second, and Fast Ethernet = 100 megabits per second (200 megabits per second using full-duplex).
1-118. Which of these is commonly associated with the memory modules in today's modern PCs? A. SDRAM B. ROM C. RDRAM D. SRAM
Answer: A. SDRAM Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM) is the type of memory used on our DDR memory modules. ROM is read-only memory, and it's commonly associated with our startup BIOS software. RDRAM refers to the now-outdated Rambus DRAM, and SRAM is the static RAM commonly used in our processor caches.
1-172. Which of these is responsible for pulling the top page from the paper tray in a laser printer? A. Separation pad B. Duplexing assembly C. Toner cartridge D. Fuser assembly E. Imaging drum
Answer: A. Separation pad The separation pad is a small but important part of the paper feed near the paper tray, and it ensures that a single page will be pulled through the printer during the printing process.
1-82. Which part of the PC architecture commonly manages the control of keyboards, USB interfaces, and hard drive controllers? A. Southbridge B. Super I/O Controller C. PCI Express D. Northbridge
Answer: A. Southbridge Since the Northbridge handles all of the high-speed bus connections, most of the lower-speed components are managed by the Southbridge.
1-206. Which motherboard chipset commonly connects to USB ports? A. Southbridge B. PCI Bus C. Front-side Bus D. Northbridge
Answer: A. Southbridge The Southbridge chipset has traditionally connected slower-speed peripherals such as USB ports, SATA interfaces, and Ethernet connections.
1-174. Which of these would commonly connect to a computer with a TRS connection? A. Speakers B. Keyboard C. Mouse D. External hard drive E. Printer
Answer: A. Speakers The Tip/Ring/Sleeve connector is commonly used to connect analog audio devices.
1-116. Which of these characteristics would be most important when designing a video editing workstation? A. Specialized audio and video card B. HDMI output C. Gigabit NIC D. RAID array
Answer: A. Specialized audio and video card A video editing workstation requires high quality audio and powerful video functionality. High-end audio and video subsystems would be an important choice when editing video.
1-212. Which of these best describes Secure Boot? A. Stops malware from infecting an operating system B. Encrypts operating system boot files C. Requires a password before starting the operating system D. Starts the operating system in Safe Mode
Answer: A. Stops malware from infecting an operating system Secure Boot is a UEFI feature that will only boot an operating system that contains the correct digital signature. If malware modifies the boot files, the operating system will not load.
1-186. You'd like to get information about the BIOS of your computer without rebooting your computer. Which of these options would allow you to gather BIOS manufacturer and version information from inside of Windows? A. System Information B. Performance Monitor C. Computer Management D. Event Viewer
Answer: A. System Information The Windows System Information utility, or msinfo32, can provide you with information about your operating system, your BIOS, locale details, timezone, hardware configuration, memory information, and much more.
1-243. Why should a laser printer toner cartridge remain in the bag until it's replaced? A. The OPC drum could be damaged B. The toner will evaporate C. Toner can easily spill out of the cartridge D. Toner has a limited shelf life when exposed to air E. There are many small parts that can be lost
Answer: A. The OPC drum could be damaged The organic photo conductor drum is sensitive to light, and you should avoid exposing the cartridge to any light before installation.
1-169. Why is native resolution important on LCD displays? A. The display looks best at native resolution B. The native resolution has a faster refresh rate C. The contrast ratio is best at native resolution D. Some applications won't work properly at non-native resolutions
Answer: A. The display looks best at native resolution If the LCD display is not at the native resolution, the screen will appear fuzzy or blurry. A native resolution will display information on the screen without any distortion.
1-173. While working on your desktop computer, you notice that the display driver configuration is set for 60 Hz. What does this mean? A. The display will update the contents of the screen 60 times every second B. The display will output a display brightness of 60 hertz C. The display will only work on computers that provide a 60 hertz signal D. The display is using a power source of 60 hertz
Answer: A. The display will update the contents of the screen 60 times every second The display refresh rate is represented in hertz, which is the number of times an event occurs in a single second. The display adapter and the display itself must be able to synchronize the refresh rate to the same value, or the display will not function. Although this display is currently set to 60 hertz, the display may be able to function at many different refresh rates.
1-209. You've recently performed a memory upgrade on your desktop computer, but now the storage drive access light is no longer working. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. The drive access LED wires were disconnected from the motherboard B. The memory is incompatible with your storage device C. The memory requires heat sinks to lower the temperature for the storage devices D. All of the storage content is now cached to memory E. The drive access lights are damaged
Answer: A. The drive access LED wires were disconnected from the motherboard There are a number of wires that run from the motherboard to the computer case, and the LED lights for power and drive access are two common connections.
1-79. What would you expect to occur if you did not connect the hard drive status wires to your new motherboard installation? A. The drives would work normally, but you will not see any status lights B. The other motherboard components will work normally, but the hard drives will not operate C. The motherboard will not pass POST D. Only one hard drive will operate properly on this motherboard
Answer: A. The drives would work normally, but you will not see any status lights The hard drive status connection on the motherboard is simply to light the LED when hard drive activity occurs. Although the lights are useful to see, they don't have any operational functionality at all.
1-166. You are installing a new 32-bit PCI expansion card, but you notice that the card will not fit into the PCI slot because of plastic spacers in the motherboard slot. What is the most likely cause of this problem? A. The motherboard does not support the voltages needed for the adapter card to operate B. The adapter card is not designed for your version of Windows C. The card requires an additional adapter to sit properly into the slot D. The adapter card is designed for a different processor than what is currently installed on the motherboard
Answer: A. The motherboard does not support the voltages needed for the adapter card to operate Expansion slots are designed so you can't install them unless they meet the power and bus sizes supported by the motherboard.
1-252. In which of these would you commonly find software-based RAID? A. The operating system B. The hard drive BIOS C. The drivers from the hard drive manufacturer D. The hard drive controller
Answer: A. The operating system Software-based RAID is part of the operating system and does not generally require any specialized hard drive controller or other hardware.
1-100. Which of these are a common characteristic of an LGA socket? A. The pins are on the motherboard B. The CPU connects to the LGA with SECC C. Commonly paired with the Pentium II CPU D. The pins are on the CPU package
Answer: A. The pins are on the motherboard An LGA socket is used on many modern CPUs, and one obvious characteristic is the large number of pins that are on the motherboard instead of the CPU package.
1-221. Your laptop AC adapter states that it is "auto switching." What does this mean? A. The power supply can be used in many different countries B. The power supply can be used on many different laptop models C. The power supply can be used with many different operating systems D. The power supply can be used on both laptops and docking stations
Answer: A. The power supply can be used in many different countries An auto switching power supply can support multiple voltages without flipping a physical "switch." Most laptop auto-switching power supplies can support both 110 volts and 220 volts, which covers the power requirements in most countries. All you need is a power plug adapter, and you can take your laptop anywhere!
1-219. You've recently upgraded your motherboard, but now you find that the reset button on your case isn't working. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. The reset switch wires are not connected to the new motherboard B. The new motherboard does not support the reset button option C. The motherboard reset circuits are faulty D. The reset function must be enabled in the BIOS
Answer: A. The reset switch wires are not connected to the new motherboard There are a lot of wires connecting to the motherboard that provide power lights, hard drive access lights, and audio connections. If one of those isn't working after a new motherboard install, then you probably missed a connection.
1-311. Your customer has just upgraded the operating system on their laptop, and they're now complaining that information on the screen is blurry in the new OS. Which of these is the most likely cause of this issue? A. The video driver has not been properly installed B. The new operating system is not designed for laptop displays C. The laptop backlight is faulty D. The Windows Device Manager has disabled the LCD display
Answer: A. The video driver has not been properly installed A new operating system is also probably using new video drivers, and it's very easy for an updated video driver to use a resolution that's not native to the LCD display. A simple resolution change should solve this common issue.
1-238. Which of these would best describe a wireless network using frequencies of 2.4 GHz? A. There are 2.4 billion cycles transmitted in one second B. The maximum throughput of the network is 2.4 gigabits per second C. The network can communicate to 2,400 separate devices D. The maximum length of the wireless antenna is 2.4 inches
Answer: A. There are 2.4 billion cycles transmitted in one second Hertz is defined as the number of cycles that occur in one second. On a 2.4 GHz wireless network, there are 2.4 billion cycles in a single second.
1-330. You need to increase the storage in a new laptop with an external hard drive, but your applications require high-speed access to storage. Which of these external hard drive interfaces provide the fastest throughput? A. Thunderbolt B. USB 2.0 C. FireWire 400 D. eSATA
Answer: A. Thunderbolt Thunderbolt connections can transfer data at speeds of 10 gigabits per second and faster.
1-133. You need to purchase a USB cable to charge your new mobile phone. Which kind of USB port would you commonly see on a desktop computer? A. Type A B. Type B C. Mini B D. Mini DIN
Answer: A. Type A Type A USB ports are common seen as USB connections on desktop and laptop computers.
1-249. Sort these interfaces in order of slowest speed to fastest speed; USB 2.0, USB 3.0, FireWire 800, and Gigabit Ethernet. A. USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 B. FireWire 800, USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 C. USB 2.0, FireWire 800, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet D. FireWire 800, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet
Answer: A. USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 USB 2.0 runs at 480 megabits per second, FireWire 800 is 800 megabits per second, Gigabit Ethernet runs at 1 gigabit per second, and USB 3.0 is 5 gigabits per second.
1-208. Which one of these interfaces is the fastest? Bonus question: Which is the slowest? A. USB 3.0 B. Gigabit Ethernet C. FireWire 800 D. SATA revision 2.0 E. IEEE 802.11n
Answer: A. USB 3.0 The fastest interface: A) USB 3.0 The slowest interface: E) IEEE 802.11n USB 3.0 - 5 gigabits per second Gigabit Ethernet - 1 gigabit per second FireWire 800 - 800 megabits per second SATA revision 2.0 - 3 gigabits per second IEEE 802.11n - 150 megabits per stream, 600 megabits with the four stream maximum
1-323. What would you use to view an XPS file? A. Use a reader from Microsoft B. At the command line, copy the file to your printer C. View the file with Adobe's proprietary reader D. Open the file with your current print driver E. Open the file with any text editor
Answer: A. Use a reader from Microsoft Microsoft's XPS (XML Paper Specification) is similar to Adobe's PDF, but you'll need to install a reader from Microsoft to view the file.
1-153. Which of these characteristics are most associated with a plasma display? A. Very fast response times B. Uses LED backlights instead of florescent C. The plasma display must be air cooled after use D. Uses a vacuum tube and an electron gun
Answer: A. Very fast response times Plasma displays react very quickly, making them a good choice for sports video and other fast-moving images.
1-43. Which of these best describes a thermal printer? A. Very quiet operation B. Used to archive documents C. Replacement toner is installed using a self-contained cartridge D. Color printing requires additional printer memory
Answer: A. Very quiet operation A thermal printer works using heat, which means that the actual printing process is very, very quiet.
1-90. Which of these would commonly be tested during POST? Pick two. A. Video adapter B. Hard drive read access times C. Keyboard connection D. USB power output levels
Answer: A. Video adapter and C. Keyboard connection The power on self-test (POST) process provides a basic hardware diagnostic that confirms that the minimum necessary hardware is available before starting the computer. If RAM is missing, the video adapter isn't working, or the keyboard isn't connected, you'll get an error message and the computer will stop the boot process before loading the operating system. Detailed diagnostics, such as hard drive access times and USB power levels aren't part of the POST process; you'll need some additional diagnostics software to check for that detailed information.
1-160. Which of these file types would be considered an output format from a virtual printer? A. XPS B. DOC C. VPS D. TXT E. DDR
Answer: A. XPS Microsoft's XML Paper Specification (XPS) is the virtual printer output format commonly found in Microsoft Windows and other operating systems.
1-23. One of your associates has told you that he's added a supervisor password to the BIOS of every computer in the organization. What does the addition of this BIOS password mean? A. You can't make changes to the BIOS configuration without the password B. You can't boot the computer without the password C. You can't add new device drivers without the password D. You can't shut down the computer without the password
Answer: A. You can't make changes to the BIOS configuration without the password The supervisor password restricts access to the BIOS, preventing any hardware additions or configuration changes. The addition of a user password would prevent the system from booting unless you had the correct password.
1-113. You've just acquired a new video card for your corporate workstation, but the video drivers for the adapter will not install. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. You don't have proper permissions B. The video drivers require a BIOS upgrade C. The video drivers are not properly signed D. The Device Manager is faulty
Answer: A. You don't have proper permissions Most corporate-owned computers are tightly controlled, and installing any type of driver is due to cause a problem with permissions. To have the drivers install properly, you'll need to ask someone to help who has proper rights and permissions.
1-300. Which of these speeds matches the bandwidth seen on a gigabit Ethernet link? A. 100 MB/s B. 1000 Mb/s C. 1000 MB/s D. 100 Mb/s
Answer: B. 1000 Mb/s This is a two part question, because there's both a (relatively easy) conversion to complete, and then you have to know your abbreviations. For the first part of the question, you'll need to know that a gigabit Ethernet connection runs at 1 gigabit per second, which is also 1000 megabits per second. For the second part of the question, it's important to understand the importance of a lowercase "b" and an uppercase "B." When abbreviating speeds, a lowercase "b" represents bits, and an uppercase "B" represents bytes. Therefore, Mb/s is an abbreviation for megabits per second, and MB/s is an abbreviation for megabytes per second. With all of these details, the answer should be relatively clear; 1 gigabit Ethernet transports data at an equivalent speed of 1000 Mb/s.
1-266. What throughput speed would you expect from SATA revision 3.0? A. 10 gigabits per second B. 6 gigabits per second C. 1 gigabits per second D. 3 gigabits per second E. 1.5 gigabits per second
Answer: B. 6 gigabits per second SATA revision 1.0 operates at 1.5 gigabits per second, revision 2.0 operates at 3.0 gigabits per second, and SATA revision 3.0 operates at 6 Gb/s.
1-277. Which of these are commonly sent over HDMI? A. Analog audio and video B. Digital audio and video C. YPbPr D. RGBHV E. Intensity and color
Answer: B. Digital audio and video HDMI carries digital video and digital audio signals.
1-248. Which of these would best describe an LCD display? A. Organic compound emits light when receiving an electric current B. A backlight is required to view the display output C. Must cool down before powering off D. Uses an electron gun on a phosphorescent screen E. Contains noble gas and mercury
Answer: B. A backlight is required to view the display output An LCD display requires some type of backlight to shine through the LCD panel. Older displays used florescent lights, but most LCD displays today use LED backlights instead.
1-38. Which of these are true regarding the conversion of DVI to HDMI? A. DVI and HDMI are not electrically compatible B. A signal conversion is required from DVI analog to HDMI digital C. There is a loss of video quality when converting between DVI and HDMI D. An LCD cannot display a signal that has been converted from DVI to HDMI
Answer: B. A signal conversion is required from DVI analog to HDMI digital DVI and HDMI are electrically compatible, so it only takes a simple cable or adapter to move between the two video types. If you're planning to convert from analog to digital on any standard, you'll need to perform a signal conversion.
1-286. Which of these would be the best description of the SATA standard? A. The drive number is based on the location of the drive on the cable B. All data is transmitted over a serial connection C. Up to 63 SATA devices can be connected over a single link D. The signal at the end of the SATA connection must be terminated
Answer: B. All data is transmitted over a serial connection The Serial ATA standard transfers data serially. Unlike parallel connections that transmit many bits simultaneously over separate wires, a serial connection transmits data one bit at a time.
1-319. Which of these things is not important to consider when performing a BIOS upgrade? A. Have a backup of the current BIOS configuration settings. B. Be sure you have your original operating system installation media. C. Have a backup of the current BIOS version binary or installation file. D. Only perform the BIOS upgrade when working with a reliable power source.
Answer: B. Be sure you have your original operating system installation media. Although it's always a good thing to know where your operating system CDs might be, they aren't going to be important for the BIOS upgrade process. The BIOS upgrade only modifies the boot code of your personal computer hardware, not the contents of your storage drives.
1-240. What kind of wireless network is designed to replace slow-speed wires over short distances? A. 802.11n B. Bluetooth C. Mobile Broadband D. 802.11a
Answer: B. Bluetooth Bluetooth networks are often called "personal area networks," due to their relatively short maximum distances and their tendency to replace the wires used on items such as mobile phone headsets, keyboards, and mice.
1-225. Which of these technologies would be the best choice for finding Apple devices on the network? A. TCP sequence numbers B. Bonjour protocol C. Ping command D. Patch panel E. SSID broadcasts
Answer: B. Bonjour protocol Apple's Bonjour protocol is used to discover Apple devices on the LAN
1-224. What kind of data would commonly be transmitted through an HDMI connection? A. Streaming stock ticker information B. Digital video signals C. Audio podcasts D. Ethernet network control packets
Answer: B. Digital video signals High-Definition Multimedia Interface is a standard interface used for digital video and audio signals.
1-328. Which of these would commonly be powered by a 4-pin ATX +12V connector? A. Video adapter B. CPU C. SSD D. Case fan E. DVD-ROM drive
Answer: B. CPU The 4-pin ATX power connector is commonly used to provide additional power to a CPU.
1-183. Which of these would be recommended options before performing a BIOS upgrade? Pick two. A. Upgrade your applications to the latest versions B. Check the BIOS release notes for any OS prerequisites C. Connect to a reliable power source D. Defragment your hard drive
Answer: B. Check the BIOS release notes for any OS prerequisites and C. Connect to a reliable power source You want to be sure there won't be any problems during the BIOS upgrade process, so it's useful to check any details in the release notes and connect to a reliable power source or UPS.
1-32. Which of these laser printing steps ensures that you will not see a "ghosted" image appear down the page of your output? A. Exposing B. Cleaning C. Developing D. Charging
Answer: B. Cleaning The cleaning process removes any excess toner from the photosensitive drum and prepares it for another cycle through the printing process.
1-80. Which of these multifunction device configuration settings will print multiple copies in their proper order? A. Duplex B. Collate C. Ad hoc network D. Orientation E. Quality
Answer: B. Collate Collating the printer output can make it much easier to manage multiple copies of large documents.
1-298. Which of these would be the most likely to have a BNC connector? A. SCSI hard drive B. Component video C. Gigabit Ethernet network D. HDMI video
Answer: B. Component video Component video consists of RGBHV cables for red, green, blue, horizontal sync, and vertical sync signals. In many cases, component video will use BNC connectors to ensure a good connection to video devices.
1-124. You've just installed a new PCIe network adapter into your file server. However, when you start Windows the adapter does not appear in the Device Manager. Which of these would be the best troubleshooting task to do next? A. Confirm that the BIOS supports PCIe-based network adapters B. Confirm that the adapter is well seated in the PCIe slot C. Check the wattage of your power supply D. Install an updated adapter driver
Answer: B. Confirm that the adapter is well seated in the PCIe slot The easiest checks should always be done first, and not fully seating an adapter card is an easy thing to check.
1-287. You have some memory marked PC2-6400. What DDR speed would match this memory? A. DDR2-6400 B. DDR2-800 C. DDR2-400 D. DDR2-3200
Answer: B. DDR2-800 To convert between the PC2 module name and the DDR2 speed values, you would divide the PC2 module name value by 8.
1-312. What is the DDR speed of a PC3-6400 memory module? A. DDR-6400 B. DDR3-800 C. DDR3-1600 D. DDR3-2133
Answer: B. DDR3-800 The difference between DDR speeds and transfer rates is a factor of 8. To calculate the DDR speed from the module name, simply divide the module speed by 8. 6,400 divided by 8 is 800, and you always precede the DDR speed with the DDR type. This means that the PC3-6400 module is also referenced as DDR3-800.
1-69. You are replacing some DDR3 memory in a desktop computer. What memory type would you expect to use? A. SIMM B. DIMM C. RIMM D. SO-DIMM
Answer: B. DIMM Desktop memory on most modern systems uses DIMM format memory, although you might find some older systems that might use RIMM modules. It's nearly impossible to find SIMM in active use, and SO-DIMM is almost exclusive to laptop computers.
1-306. Which of these systems would be most likely to have an 8-pin EPS12V standard power connection? A. Print server B. Database server C. Internet browsing workstation D. Email kiosk
Answer: B. Database server The 8-pin EPS12V power connection was designed for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) systems and multicore systems. These motherboards had additional processing cycles and needed more power for the higher-end CPUs. These were similar to the 4-pin ATX12V standard, and some EPS12V motherboards simply used two four-pin connectors to maintain the backwards-compatibility.
1-121. In which of these situations would you be most likely to modify the configuration of your BIOS? A. Modify the default video resolution B. Disable the USB ports C. Add a new disk partition D. Prevent the installation of new applications
Answer: B. Disable the USB ports Enabling or disabling hardware is a common function of the BIOS, along with modifying startup passwords, viewing hardware information, and much more.
1-272. One of your customers is asking you to replace their printer ribbon. Which type of printer would this most likely be? A. Laser B. Dot-matrix C. Inkjet D. LED E. Thermal
Answer: B. Dot-matrix A dot-matrix is an impact printer that pushes small pins through an ink ribbon to transfer an image to the paper.
1-89. Which of these commonly use a tractor feed? A. USB flash drive B. Dot-matrix printer C. DVD-ROM drive D. Inkjet printer E. Floppy drive
Answer: B. Dot-matrix printer Dot matrix printers often use tractor fed paper. These tractor feeds use holes on the side of the paper to pull the paper through the printer.
1-245. What is the advantage of a motherboard having a ZIF socket? A. Provides the ability of upgrading a computer's BIOS through downloadable software updates B. Enables the installation and removal of CPU chips without requiring tools or excessive pressure C. Allows the installation of option cards through standardized bus interfaces D. Provides for easy installation and upgrade of standard memory modules
Answer: B. Enables the installation and removal of CPU chips without requiring tools or excessive pressure ZIF is an abbreviation for Zero Insertion Force, and it references a specific type of CPU socket where the CPU chip can be inserted and removed without any pushing or pulling. Since the motherboard is relatively thin and the pressure of inserting chips with hundreds of pins might cause a cracking of the circuit leads, the ZIF socket was a welcome change to the traditional CPU slots or dual inline chips.
1-122. Which laser printing step uses a laser to charge sections of the imaging drum? A. Developing B. Exposing C. Fusing D. Processing
Answer: B. Exposing The exposing step "writes" the image onto the photosensitive drum.
1-281. Which of these would be an advantage to using an SSD? A. Increased dB B. Faster access time C. Higher video refresh rates D. Higher resolution
Answer: B. Faster access time A solid-state drive's primary advantage is speed. Since the storage media has no moving parts, data can be read and written at speeds well above those of traditional hard drives.
1-156. Paper is not moving properly through your inkjet printer. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. Carriage and belt B. Feed roller C. Duplexing assembly D. Print head
Answer: B. Feed roller The rubber feed rollers provide a surface that uses friction to move paper from the paper tray through the printer.
1-13. Your new motherboard comes with four SATA ports. What is the maximum number of SATA devices that it can support? A. Two at any time, using any of the four interfaces B. Four devices C. Eight devices D. The maximum number of devices will be dependent on the SATA speeds of the devices
Answer: B. Four devices SATA connections can only support a single device per interface.
1-315. What is the connection between the memory controller and the CPU called? A. Southbridge B. Front-side bus C. GPU D. LPC
Answer: B. Front-side bus The front-side bus (FSB) is one of the fastest paths inside of the computer. All of the communication between the RAM and CPU passes through the FSB. In the latest generation of chipsets, this path has been integrated directly into the CPU to maximize the throughput.
1-242. What partition type is required for a UEFI BIOS to boot from partitions larger than 2.2 TB? A. MFT B. GUID C. MBR D. Primary E. SSD
Answer: B. GUID One significant advantage of UEFI BIOS is the ability to boot from a partition larger than 2.2 terabytes when using a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) partition type.
1-274. Which of these statements about Hyper-Threading Technology (HTT) are true? Pick two. A. You need at least two CPUs to take advantage of HTT B. HTT makes a single CPU appear as two separate processors to the operating system C. An operating system must be specifically designed to use HTT D. HTT doesn't provide any practical increase in performance
Answer: B. HTT makes a single CPU appear as two separate processors to the operating system and C. An operating system must be specifically designed to use HTT Hyper-Threading Technology was created to improve the performance of a single CPU by 15 to 30 percent. Although HTT is a CPU feature, the operating system must be written to take advantage of the technology.
1-147. You're installing a new server with a RAID array, and you need to decide how to best implement your RAID solution. What is an advantage of using hardware-based RAID over a software-based solution? A. Hardware-based RAID is less expensive B. Hardware-based RAID has better performance C. Hardware-based RAID is optimized for the operating system D. Hardware-based RAID has better integration with the operating system
Answer: B. Hardware-based RAID has better performance Hardware-based RAID provides its own hardware for processing and takes much of the processing away from the operating system. Although it's faster, hardware-based RAID requires the additional cost of specialized drive controllers. Hardware-based RAID is also invisible to the operating system, so there's no optimization or integration with the OS running on the hard drives.
1-161. Which of these technologies is the most common choice to cool individual motherboard chips? A. Case fans B. Heat sinks C. BIOS settings D. Liquid cooling systems
Answer: B. Heat sinks A heat sink can efficiently dissipate heat directly from a hot component directly into a metal alloy. After the chip heat has been dissipated, the computer's cooling fans pass cooler air over the heat sink to maintain a relatively low temperature.
1-182. Which of these would be an advantage of inkjet printer technology? A. Clog-resistant ink B. High-resolution output C. Fade-resistant output D. Inexpensive ink replacement
Answer: B. High-resolution output Inkjet printers provide high-resolution output, but the ink is expensive, tends to clog the print heads, and the ink tends to fade quickly over time.
1-205. Which of these applications would be most suited for a Nano-ITX motherboard? A. High-end gaming B. Home automation control C. Media center server D. Database server
Answer: B. Home automation control The Nano-ITX is a low-power motherboard that is best suited for utility functions that do not require a high-end graphics card, a fast processor, or any other application that would require a large number of computing resources.
1-279. Which of these printer types is also known as a dot-matrix printer? A. Inkjet B. Impact C. Laser D. Virtual E. Thermal
Answer: B. Impact A dot-matrix printer uses small pins to press through a cloth ribbon and display the output on a piece of paper.
1-28. Which of these processor packages has flat contacts on the processor and pins on the motherboard? A. PGA B. LGA C. SECC D. DIP
Answer: B. LGA The LGA (Land Grid Array) processor package has all of the pins on the motherboard, and the processor contacts are flat. The LGA is commonly seen on modern Intel i3, i5, and i7 processors.
1-98. Which of these sockets has pins and is paired with a CPU that does not have any pins? A. ZIF B. LGA C. PGA D. SECC E. DIP
Answer: B. LGA The Land Grid Array socket has pins on the motherboard and flat contacts on the CPU package.
1-210. Which of these is a common characteristic of an impact printer? A. Cannot print to carbon copies B. Low per-page printing cost C. High-resolution output D. Very quiet operation
Answer: B. Low per-page printing cost Impact printers and dot-matrix printers can easily print to multiple-copy paper, but the output is not very high resolution and the printer itself is relatively loud when compared to other printer types. However, the cost perpage to print on a dot-matrix printer is relatively low.
1-217. What is the most common use of the battery on a computer motherboard? A. Provides additional power for the PCI Express slots B. Maintains the date and time when power is not available C. Provides additional power when the system is under heavy use D. Boots the system when main power is not available E. Switches between CPU clock rates
Answer: B. Maintains the date and time when power is not available The small battery on the motherboard is often used to maintain the date and time when main power is not connected. On older computer systems, the BIOS configuration may also be maintained with this battery.
1-108. You are designing a computer that will fit into a small area inside of a vehicle. Which of these motherboard types would be the best choice for this system? A. ATX-Portable B. Mini-ITX C. microATX D. Mobile ATX
Answer: B. Mini-ITX The Mini-ITX motherboard is a small form-factor that is a good fit for confined spaces. The ATX-Portable and Mobile-ATX form factors don't actually exist. The microATX form factor does exist, but it's a bit too large to be the best choice.
1-207. Which of these interface types would you not commonly find connected to an external storage device? Pick two. A. USB B. PCI C. Firewire D. eSATA E. TRS
Answer: B. PCI and E. TRS Many external storage devices will connect using USB, FireWire, or eSATA. The PCI interface is commonly found on internal storage devices, and the TRS connector is commonly used to connect analog audio devices.
1-239. The PCI Express bus architecture sounds similar to the PCI bus architecture. What is the primary architectural difference between PCI and PCI Express? A. PCI provides for higher throughput than PCI Express B. PCI is a parallel bus architecture and PCI Express is a serial bus architecture C. PCI has more communication lanes than PCI Express D. PCI is a newer specification than PCI Express
Answer: B. PCI is a parallel bus architecture and PCI Express is a serial bus architecture Although it seems that a serial connection would provide slower throughput, PCI Express is actually the faster of the two architectures.
1-123. Which of these would best describe socket FM1? Pick two. A. Supports Intel CPUs B. PGA-ZIF package C. LGA CPU package D. Supports AMD CPUs E. 775 pins
Answer: B. PGA-ZIF package and D. Supports AMD CPUs The FM1 socket is a PGA-ZIF socket that supports AMD A-series processors.
1-63. What kind of CPU package fits into a Socket FM1? A. Dual in-line package B. Pin grid array C. Single edge cartridge D. Single in-line package
Answer: B. Pin grid array A PGA (pin grid array) package consists of many pins that fit into a many-holed ZIF (zero insertion force) socket. Socket FM1 is an AMD CPU with a PGA package.
1-165. You're planning to update your BIOS to a new version, and you'd like to make sure you don't lose any of your current BIOS settings. What's the best way to guarantee a good backup of your BIOS information? A. Use the built-in BIOS backup utilities B. Print each BIOS configuration screen, copy the parameters down manually with pen and paper, or take pictures of each screen C. Third-party applications can image the entire drive, including the BIOS settings D. The BIOS is hardware based, and doesn't require a backup
Answer: B. Print each BIOS configuration screen, copy the parameters down manually with pen and paper, or take pictures of each screen The BIOS is software that starts when your computer is powered on. If the BIOS configuration is incorrect, your hardware may not work properly or perform effectively. There's often no built-in BIOS backup utility, and third-party software isn't designed to backup a BIOS. In many cases, the fastest solution is to simply write down the important BIOS settings on a piece of paper or take pictures with a mobile phone.
1-310. Which of these options would be the most accurate description of inkjet printing? A. Low cost per page B. Quiet C. High-speed printing D. Good for multiple copies
Answer: B. Quiet An inkjet printer is great for work areas because of its relatively low noise compared to other printing methods. Because the process of putting the ink onto the paper is nearly silent, the only sounds that usually come from an inkjet printers are those of the mechanics of the print head moving back and forth across the paper. Inkjet printer ink is notoriously expensive, making inkjet printers relatively expensive when compared to other common printer types such as laser printers. An inkjet printer can produce sharp copies, but the process of spraying a sheet of paper with ink can be time consuming. Large print jobs are usually best left to high-speed laser printers. Impact printers such as dot-matrix printers can handle multiple copies in one pass, but inkjet printers don't have a way to enjoy the same efficiencies. If you want more than one copy on an inkjet printer, you'll need to print the page twice.
1-46. You have two drives that you would like to configure into the most redundant configuration possible, where all information is duplicated across physical drives. Which of these RAID types should you configure? A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 1+0
Answer: B. RAID 1 RAID 1 duplicates information across all available storage devices, and it can work with a minimum of two drives.
1-75. You need to design a drive array that will continue to operate if any drive fails. Which RAID types fit this requirement? Pick two. A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 1+1
Answer: B. RAID 1 and C. RAID 5 RAID 0, or striping, provides high performance but a single drive failure breaks the array. RAID 1 and RAID 5 both continue to operate, even if a single drive fails.
1-71. Which of these RAID types create an exact duplicate of data across physical drives? Pick two. A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 2 D. RAID 5 E. RAID 1+0
Answer: B. RAID 1 and E. RAID 1+0 RAID 1, or mirroring, is an exact duplicate of all data across multiple physical drives. RAID 1+0 combines mirroring and striping to create a RAID 0 striped set of data that is duplicated across multiple RAID 1 mirrored drives.
1-103. Which of these components would normally NOT connect directly to a southbridge? A. USB ports B. RAM C. Floppy drive D. Mouse
Answer: B. RAM In any personal computer, the connection between RAM and the CPU runs at very high speeds through the northbridge. In many memory-intensive applications, the speed of the communication between RAM and the CPU is often the determining factor. The faster the memory bus and front-side bus, the faster the computer.
1-201. Which of these characteristics would be the most important when designing a virtualization workstation? Pick two. A. High-end graphics adapter B. RAM C. CPU cores D. HDMI output
Answer: B. RAM and C. CPU cores Virtualization of multiple operating systems requires plenty of memory and CPU power, but not necessarily any advanced video capabilities or HDMI output.
1-284. Which port type is most commonly associated with an Ethernet connection? A. RJ-11 B. RJ-45 C. DB-9 D. FireWire
Answer: B. RJ-45 Registered Jack number 45 is most commonly associated with copper Ethernet connections using unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable.
1-203. You are installing an internal modem into a desktop computer system, and you need to connect the telephone cable to the modem. What kind of cable connector is used for telephone and modem connections? A. IEEE 1394 B. RJ11 C. RJ45 D. USB
Answer: B. RJ11 Registered Jack number 11 was created as a standard connector for telephone connections.
1-107. What is the last step you should perform when installing a laser printer maintenance kit? A. Wait until the fuser unit cools down and replace it B. Reset the page counter C. Examine the feed rollers D. Replace the power cord
Answer: B. Reset the page counter The page counter is used to help schedule the proper duration for the next printer maintenance, so the counter should be reset after the current maintenance is complete.
1-288. Which of these components would you commonly find associated with the Southbridge? A. SDRAM B. SATA interfaces C. PCI Express video adapter D. Main CPU
Answer: B. SATA interfaces The Southbridge handles the relatively slower devices, such as keyboards, mice, storage drive interfaces, USB ports, and network interfaces.
1-282. Which one of these is an input device? Pick two. A. LCD monitor B. Scanner C. Laser printer D. Speaker E. Keyboard
Answer: B. Scanner and E. Keyboard When working with computers, it's important to recognize what devices can get information in and send information out. Some common input devices are keyboards and mice, but it's also useful to be familiar with others. As an input device, scanners are designed to take printed materials and create digital representations of them. Digitizers use a stylus to put information into our computers.
1-193. What is the most common use for the switch on a computer power supply? A. Controls the speed of the CPU B. Sets the voltage used by the power supply C. Sets the cooling fan speed D. Boots from different operating system partitions
Answer: B. Sets the voltage used by the power supply A power supply voltage switch allows you to manually configure the power supply to work on 115V or 230V. If the computer is moved between countries with different power requirements, the computer power supply can be configured to work in either situation.
1-213. Which of these would be an advantage of using SATA-connected storage? A. Connect up to 16 devices to a single SATA port B. Smaller cables promote better airflow for cooling C. Support for storage drives over 1 TB D. High-speed network connectivity
Answer: B. Smaller cables promote better airflow for cooling The SATA standard is one of the newest standards, providing up to 6 gigabits per second of throughput for SATA revision 3.0. One of the more practical advantages of SATA is the smaller data cables that effectively replaced the larger PATA ribbon cables, which made the cooling airflow through computer cases much more efficient.
1-247. Which of these is common to thin clients? A. The efficiency of the device is measured by the dimensions of the external case B. The client does not require a large number of computing resources C. An HDMI video connection is required D. The client runs many operating systems simultaneously on the local computer
Answer: B. The client does not require a large number of computing resources A thin client usually has the basics for computing; a keyboard, mouse, and display. The hard work is done by a different device located somewhere else on the network.
1-44. Which of these would be the best fit for ECC memory? A. The computer is used for Internet browsing and office suite software B. The computer is a database server that provides services for hundreds of simultaneous users C. The computer is a standalone kiosk used for electronic job applications D. The computer is used in a lab for testing in-house applications prior to formal release
Answer: B. The computer is a database server that provides services for hundreds of simultaneous users Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory is often seen in high-end motherboards that provide important services or software functions. Unlike normal parity memory, ECC memory can find and fix errors. ECC memory generally costs more, so you usually see motherboards designed for ECC memory when there's a specific need.
1-138. You've just installed a new SATA disk, but you find that you are only getting half of the expected throughput. What is a likely cause of this issue? A. The disk has a hardware fault B. The drive is jumpered to the 150 MB/sec speed option C. The SATA disk is connected to a PATA controller D. The Windows disk driver needs to be updated
Answer: B. The drive is jumpered to the 150 MB/sec speed option Many SATA disks contain a jumper that enables the original (and slower) 150 MB/sec throughputs for compatibility with older hardware. If you're not seeing the throughput you'd expect, check the jumpers on the drive.
1-3. You have just purchased a new dual-core PC, but when you look at the Windows Task Manager's Performance tab, you see usage statistics for four CPUs. What would be the most likely cause of this difference? A. Dual-core CPUs appear as four separate CPUs in Windows B. The dual-core CPUs are using HTT C. The new computer uses dual-channel memory D. Windows Task Manager is improperly configured
Answer: B. The dual-core CPUs are using HTT Hyper-Threading Technology is designed to allow a single CPU to schedule two processes at the same time, allowing the system to share the workload between both threads. If you view an HTT-enabled CPU in Task Manager, it will appear as if the computer has two or more CPUs for every physical CPU.
1-264. How does an inkjet printer distribute the ink to the printed page? A. The ink is pressed on the page from a rotating drum B. The ink is moved around the page from a belt-driven printer carriage C. The ink is transferred from a set of pins on a print head D. A heated print head pulls the ink onto the page
Answer: B. The ink is moved around the page from a belt-driven printer carriage An inkjet printer stores the printer ink and print heads in printer cartridges and moves the ink cartridges back and forth over the page on a carriage.
1-320. One of your customers needs to print high-resolution images from their laser printer, but they need a memory upgrade to successfully print their images. Why is memory so important in a laser printer? A. High-resolution images print faster when more memory is available in the laser printer. B. The laser printer must build the entire high-resolution image in memory before it can print. C. The memory of the laser printer is only used to store fonts, not images. D. The memory in a laser printer should match the amount of memory available on the computers used to create the output.
Answer: B. The laser printer must build the entire high-resolution image in memory before it can print. Once a laser printer begins to print a page, it can't stop in the middle and restart. Therefore, it's important to build the entire page into memory before it starts the printing process. Pages of high-resolution images will use much more memory than pages of text. If you try to print to a laser printer that doesn't have enough memory, an error message will be displayed on the printer and the output will usually only show a portion of the entire page.
1-256. The power supply of your computer lists these specifications on the label: Input: 100-120V ~ / 4.0A 220- 240V ~ / 2.0A What does this information mean? A. The power supply can support both 100-120V DC and 220-240V DC power sources. B. The power supply can support both 100-120V AC and 220-240V AC power sources. C. The power supply uses 4 amps of power when using a 220-240V AC power source. D. The power supply uses 2 amps of power when using a 110-120V DC power source.
Answer: B. The power supply can support both 100-120V AC and 220-240V AC power sources. Many computer power supplies are switched-mode power supplies that can support multiple voltage inputs. On these specifications, both 100 through 120 volt and 220 through 240 volt power sources are supported. Some power supplies can automatically switch between these input voltages and others have a physical switch on the outside of the power supply. You would normally switch the power input value based on your country's power specifications. The squiggly tilde (~) designates an alternating current (AC). If the specifications showed a solid line above a dashed line, it would be referencing direct current (DC). The amperage used by the power supply will differ when using different voltages, so the input amperage is listed as different values at 100-120 volts versus 220-240 volts.
1-52. On a laser printer, what happens just prior to the fusing process? A. The laser writes the image to the photosensitive drum B. The toner is transferred from the photosensitive drum to the paper C. The toner is transferred from the toner cartridge to the photosensitive drum D. The remaining toner is cleaned from the photosensitive drum
Answer: B. The toner is transferred from the photosensitive drum to the paper Once the toner is transferred to the paper, the next step is to permanently fuse the toner to the paper using heat and pressure.
1-190. On which kind of printer would you use IPA to clean the heating element? A. Laser printer B. Thermal printer C. Inkjet Printer D. Dot-matrix printer
Answer: B. Thermal printer A thermal printer uses heat to print on special paper, and you clean the heating element with isopropyl alcohol.
1-251. You are installing a PCI card into a desktop computer, and you notice that there are small spacers insideof the PCI slot. What function do these spacers provide? A. They keep the PCI adapters at equal distances from each other B. They ensure proper voltage to the adapter card C. They accommodate proper cooling of the motherboard D. They limit the throughput from the PCI bus
Answer: B. They ensure proper voltage to the adapter card The keyways on the adapter cards match the voltage keys that are built into the PCI slots on the motherboard. This simple physical feature ensures that the adapters will be powered properly once they are installed.
1-192. Which of these would be the best way to convert between VGA and HDMI? A. Use a cable with the different connectors on both ends B. Use an active converter cable C. Daisy-chain the VGA signal through an LCD display D. Convert to from VGA to DVI and then to HDMI E. It's not possible to convert between VGA and HDMI
Answer: B. Use an active converter cable VGA signals are always analog, and HDMI signals are always digital. Because of these differences, you must convert the video signal between these two formats. One easy way to do this conversion is with an active adapter cable that provides the conversion between the analog and digital video signals.
1-254. During a laser printer toner cartridge replacement, some of the black toner particles fell on the outside of the printer and on the desktop around the printer. What's the best way to clean the spilled toner? A. Use hot water and cloth towels. B. Use cold water and paper towels. C. Use fingernail polish remover. The solvents in the polish remover will dissolve the toner particles. D. Toner particles are notoriously permanent. There's no practical method to remove the toner particles from whatever they have touched.
Answer: B. Use cold water and paper towels. The toner from a laser printer is a very fine dust that has an unfortunate tendency to drift onto the outside of printers and work areas. Because the toner is designed to melt when heated, the best cleaning methods use cold water. Because toner is also quite messy, it's easiest to use disposable paper towels.
1-292. Which of these would be true of a SO-DIMM? A. Must be installed in groups of two B. Usually found in a mobile device C. Often included on video adapter cards D. Must be removed to clear the BIOS E. May require an upgrade if the operating system is changed
Answer: B. Usually found in a mobile device A SO-DIMM package is a smaller version of the DIMM, and it's common to find them in laptops and other mobile devices.
1-8. What 15-pin connector is commonly used to transmit video? A. RCA B. VGA C. DVI D. HDMI
Answer: B. VGA A VGA connector is a three-row 15-pin connector that is commonly used for computer video.
1-83. Which of these technologies can only transmit analog video data? A. HDMI B. VGA C. DVI D. FireWire
Answer: B. VGA VGA is an analog-only video technology. Although other technologies like DVI can also transmit analog video signals, DVI can also transmit digital signals as well.
1-244. Which of these removable memory types would you be most likely to use with a mobile phone? A. SO-DIMM B. microSD C. USB flash D. Secure Digital E. DIMM
Answer: B. microSD microSD memory is a small form factor that fits well with today's mobile devices.
1-260. Which of these power connectors would be used to provide the main power to a motherboard? A. Berg connector B. PCIe 8-pin connectors C. 24-pin connector D. Molex connector E. P4 connector
Answer: C. 24-pin connector Motherboards require many different power voltages, so you'll find a 20-pin or 24-pin connector is required to power most of the motherboard components. Additional power may be required for the CPU or video adapters.
1-179. What throughput speed can you expect to see with SATA revision 2.0? A. 1.5 gigabits per second B. 2.0 gigabits per second C. 3.0 gigabits per second D. 6.0 gigabits per second
Answer: C. 3.0 gigabits per second SATA revision 2 doubled the throughput from SATA revision 1, from 1.5 gigabits per second to 3.0 gigabits per second.
1-34. Which of these speeds would commonly be associated with USB 3.0? A. 480 megabits per second B. 4 gigabits per second C. 5 gigabits per second D. 5 megabits per second
Answer: C. 5 gigabits per second USB 3.0 provides 5 gigabits per second of throughput over a maximum cable length of 3 meters.
1-162. What size data path would you expect to find on a dual inline memory module? A. 16 bits B. 32 bits C. 64 bits D. 128 bits
Answer: C. 64 bits The standard size data path for a DIMM is 64 bits.
1-309. Which of these would be most associated with a digitizer? A. Multiple video outputs B. A laser scanner C. A stylus D. Biometric access E. Optical input
Answer: C. A stylus A digitizing tablet or graphics tablet is flat input device that uses a stylus for hand-drawing words or images.
1-255. Of these motherboard types, which one has the largest footprint? A. Mobile-ITX B. Mini-ITX C. ATX D. microATX
Answer: C. ATX The ATX motherboard has one of the larger motherboard form factors, with dimensions around 305mm x 244 mm x 10mm.
1-295. You're building a gaming PC, and you want to provide for future options and expansion. Which of these motherboard types would be the best choice? A. microATX B. ITX C. ATX D. Macro-ATX E. BTX
Answer: C. ATX The ATX motherboard type is the largest and most flexible of modern motherboard types.
1-88. Which part of a hard drive is responsible for moving the arm back and forth? A. Spindle B. Platter C. Actuator D. Head
Answer: C. Actuator The actuator contains very strong magnets that can accurately move the hard drive arm to the correct location on the platters.
1-297. Which of these would be the best advantage of multiple power rails over single rails? A. Increases the throughput of the primary CPU B. The overall system temperature is cooler C. Adds additional power protection D. Supports higher wattage power supplies
Answer: C. Adds additional power protection With a single power rail, it's easy to create an overload and damage your power supply or your motherboard. With multiple rails, overloading a smaller capacity rail shuts down the power supply instead of burning up your hardware.
1-84. Which of these methods would be the best way to prevent someone from "shoulder surfing" when you're working on your laptop? A. Dim the brightness to the lowest level B. Adjust the display font feature to the smallest value C. Attach a filter to the front of your display screen D. Use an external display instead of the built-in LCD screen
Answer: C. Attach a filter to the front of your display screen A display filter can make the screen look perfectly normal to you, but the screen looks completely black to anyone who's not sitting directly in front of the screen.
1-21. Which of these security technology restricts users from making any changes to their hardware configuration? A. Wireless encryption B. Anti-spyware software C. BIOS security D. Biometrics
Answer: C. BIOS security Adding passwords to the BIOS configuration can restrict users from adding or changing any of their system hardware settings.
1-164. Today's optical technologies provide impressive storage capacities for personal computer users. Which optical technology provides up to fifty gigabytes of storage capacity on a single disc? A. CD B. DVD C. Blu-ray D. microSD
Answer: C. Blu-ray Single-layer Blu-ray can support up to 25 gigabytes of capacity, and dual-layer Blu-ray maxes out at 50 gigabytes of storage per disc.
1-200. You're reading through the specifications for an LCD monitor, and you see a reference to "candela." What is usually referenced with this metric? A. Contrast B. Color saturation C. Brightness D. Response time
Answer: C. Brightness The brightness of an LCD monitor is measured in the candela per square meter. The higher the candela, the better. This is the modern definition of "candlepower," and the units are sometimes called "nits."
1-59. What part of the laser printing process removes all toner from the photosensitive drum? A. Transferring B. Fusing C. Cleaning D. Corona charging
Answer: C. Cleaning The cleaning process is considered either the last or the first step of the laser printing process. Before a new page can be printed, all of the excess toner must be cleaned from the photosensitive drum.
1-48. What does the C in CMOS represent? A. Capacitive B. Cluster C. Complimentary D. Calculate
Answer: C. Complimentary CMOS is an abbreviation for complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor.
1-132. You have just purchased some DDR3 memory that has a module name of PC3-12800. What DDR3 speed would be compatible with this memory? A. DDR3-800 B. DDR3-1333 C. DDR3-1600 D. DDR3-12800
Answer: C. DDR3-1600 To calculate the DDR speed from the module name, you divide by 8. A PC3-12800 module would be converted to DDR3 speed with 12,800 divided by 8, or 1,600.
1-26. Which of these optical storage formats can support a maximum of 4.7 gigabytes on a single layer of media? A. CD-ROM B. CD-RW C. DVD-ROM D. Blu-ray
Answer: C. DVD-ROM A single layer DVD can storage a maximum of 4.7 gigabytes of data, and a dual-layer DVD can double that to8.5 GB of data.
1-76. Which of these connectors would you most likely find a high-resolution digital video signal? A. VGA B. SCSI C. DVI D. MDMI
Answer: C. DVI A DVI connector can be used to send analog or digital signals to a monitor or display device.
1-233. You need to restrict access to the USB ports on your company computers so that the interfaces are completely unusable. Which of these configuration options would be the best choice? A. Disable the USB interfaces in Windows Device Manager and disable Administrator access B. Monitor the Windows Event Log for any USB access C. Disable the USB interfaces in the BIOS D. Remove all USB drivers from the \Windows\System32 directory
Answer: C. Disable the USB interfaces in the BIOS If you disable the USB interfaces at the BIOS level, then you'll prevent USB access from any operating system on the computer.
1-14. Which of these features would not be commonly found in a BIOS? A. Hardware diagnostics B. USB port disabling C. Disk partitioning options D. Date and time settings
Answer: C. Disk partitioning options The BIOS does not provide any partitioning functionality. Although a BIOS will recognize a physical storage device, the logical setup of that storage device is the responsibility of the operating system.
1-50. You received a support ticket to configure a mirrored display. Which of these would be the most likely configuration for this request? A. Duplicate information across both halves of a display B. Monitor all computer screens in the organization from one display C. Display information on multiple monitors D. Show information from two computers running the same software onto two monitors
Answer: C. Display information on multiple monitors When using multiple monitors, information can be duplicated, or mirrored, on both displays. The displays can also be configured to extend the total desktop across both displays.
1-142. Your inkjet printer is not properly printing on both sides of the page. Which of these components would be the most likely cause of the problem? A. Printer carriage B. Print feed roller C. Duplexing assembly D. Print head
Answer: C. Duplexing assembly A printer's duplexing assembly provides the function of printing on both sides of a page. If there's a problem with dual-side printouts, the issue is probably associated with the duplexer.
1-66. You're installing a memory upgrade into a computer, and you notice that the motherboard documentation states that ECC memory is required. Why would a computer use ECC memory? A. ECC memory is much faster than other memory types B. You can install more ECC memory on a motherboard than other memory types C. ECC memory can automatically identify and fix data errors D. ECC memory is less expensive than other memory types
Answer: C. ECC memory can automatically identify and fix data errors Error Correcting Code memory can identify errors and correct them on the fly. You'll often see ECC memory required on motherboards that are used for centralized servers.
1-335. Why should you reset the page counter after installing a laser printer maintenance kit? A. The printer will not operate until the counter is reset B. Each page decreases the counter, and when it hits zero it stops printing C. Each page increases the counter to document the usage over time D. The page counter must be reset after ever power cycle E. The new hardware won't be recognized until the page counter is reset
Answer: C. Each page increases the counter to document the usage over time It's always a good idea to perform preventive maintenance, so the page counter provides you with a way to determine how much a laser printer has been used over time.
1-140. Which of these is a TPM usually associated with? Choose the best answer. A. Hard drives B. Memory C. Encryption D. Video
Answer: C. Encryption A Trusted Platform Module is a chip that is usually located on a motherboard, and it's used for cryptographic functions that enable encryption and other security features.
1-81. You need to create a 500 GB hard drive image and transport the image to another computer. Which of these would be the best choice for storing this image? A. Dual-layer Blu-ray disc B. Tape drive C. External hard drive D. Floppy disk drive E. SD flash memory card
Answer: C. External hard drive An external hard drive provides the storage space and portability to successfully move a large drive image from one computer to another.
1-191. Which of these would be most likely to connect to an IEEE 1394 interface? A. DDR3 memory B. Laser printer C. External storage device D. Ethernet network
Answer: C. External storage device IEEE 1394 is the standard for FireWire, and it's commonly used as a high-speed external connection to a desktop or laptop computer.
1-333. Which of these external storage device connector types runs at 800 megabits per second in full-duplex? A. eSATA B. USB 3.0 C. FireWire D. Gigabit Ethernet
Answer: C. FireWire FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b) runs at full-duplex at 800 megabits per second.
1-110. Which computer interface provides high-speed data transfer at speeds of 400 megabits per second and 800 megabits per second? A. USB 2.0 B. DVI C. FireWire D. HDMI
Answer: C. FireWire The FireWire or or IEEE 1394 standard provides speeds up to 400 megabits per second at half-duplex with FireWire 400 and 800 megabits per second of throughput at full-duplex with FireWire 800.
1-234. You've been asked to upgrade the memory in a computer on the 4th floor. What's the best way to determine what kind of memory you need? A. Open the computer and examine the existing memory and available slots B. Ask the end-user what kind of memory they prefer C. Get the make and model of the computer or motherboard, and reference the manufacturer documentation D. Most memory is interchangeable. Use the corporate standard for memory modules
Answer: C. Get the make and model of the computer or motherboard, and reference the manufacturer documentation Your computer is especially sensitive to the type of installed memory. Incorrect memory can cause a problem during the startup process, or it can appear to work normally before suffering through random crashes. Always double check with the manufacturer's documentation before installing the RAM.
1-151. Which of these would you install to maximize the efficiency of a CPU cooling fan? A. Drive-select jumper B. CPU socket C. Heat sink D. SATA data cable
Answer: C. Heat sink A heat sink can be used to dissipate heat in a distributed set of metal fins, allowing a CPU fan to operate with much more efficiency.
1-126. Which of these cooling methods dissipate heat from a processor using thermal conduction? A. Case fan B. Remove all expansion slot covers C. Heat sink D. Run the computer without a case cover
Answer: C. Heat sink A heat sink is a copper or aluminum allow that is fastened to a processor. The top of the heat sink is a series of fins that transfer the heat from the processor to the relatively cool air that is pulled through the computer.
1-305. In which of these would you most commonly find static RAM? A. Main memory of your PC B. Embedded in your video adapter C. Inside your CPU cache D. In mobile storage devices
Answer: C. Inside your CPU cache Static RAM is very fast memory, and it's very common to find it in CPU caches.
1-304. Which of these is a unique characteristic of multi-channel memory? A. Uses an additional parity bit to identify errors B. Memory modules are synchronized to the bus speed C. Installed in pairs or trios for maximum throughput D. Unused slots must be filled with memory terminators
Answer: C. Installed in pairs or trios for maximum throughput Multi-channel memory requires that a pair or trio of memory modules installed simultaneously to maximize the throughput. If fewer modules are used, the memory bus will only have a fraction of the available bandwidth available.
1-280. If you're copying a file from the command line to a printer interface, which of these best describes the method used to create the file? A. Print to PDF B. Print to XPS C. Print to file D. Print to image
Answer: C. Print to file A file created with "Print to File" is specific to a printer model. To print the file, you'll need to manually copy it to a printer interface that's compatible with the original printer type.
1-102. You need to upgrade the memory in one of your computers to support some new video editing software. When shopping at the computer store down the street, you find memory that fits the same make but the newer model of your computer. Which of these would be the best next step? A. Purchase the new memory and replace all modules in your computer B. Purchase the new memory and add it to the existing memory modules C. Keep looking for memory that is a better fit for your specific computer model D. Upgrade your motherboard to use the new memory modules
Answer: C. Keep looking for memory that is a better fit for your specific computer model Memory modules are very specific to the motherboard type, and it's important that any memory modules match perfectly with the motherboard specifications.
1-317. Which of these would be the best way to delete the data on a stolen laptop? A. SecureBoot B. BitLocker C. LoJack for Laptops D. EFS E. UEFI
Answer: C. LoJack for Laptops LoJack for Laptops includes a theft mode feature that can force a startup password, remotely lock the laptop, or delete files from the storage drive.
1-275. You need to store thirty days of backups that total 2 TB in size each day. Which of these would be the best storage media to use for these backups? A. Blu-ray discs B. Hard drives C. Magnetic tapes D. Flash memory E. Solid-state drives
Answer: C. Magnetic tapes Magnetic tapes are a very inexpensive way to store large amounts of data over an extended period of time. The access times to save and retrieve information from magnetic tape is much longer than other storage types, but the cost of storing the data is significantly less than other storage types.
1-104. In which of these cases would you use a KVM? A. Printing large-format pictures B. Connecting a video camera to a desktop computer C. Managing a large group of database servers D. Deploying touch-screen computers to multiple locations
Answer: C. Managing a large group of database servers A KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switch is useful when you have many separate computers nearby and you'd like to control them all from a single keyboard, mouse, and display.
1-74. Which of these would be most likely to connect to a computer through a PS/2 connector? A. Musical interface B. External hard drive C. Mouse or keyboard D. Wired printer
Answer: C. Mouse or keyboard The PS/2 connector is a 6-pin mini-DIN connection designed for a keyboard or mouse, originally found on the IBM PS/2 personal computer. These days you'll connect your mouse or keyboard with the USB interface.
1-176. One of your new laptop computers has a small interface that appears to support a modular connector with eight contacts. What type of connection is typically supported with this connector? A. Printer B. Video C. Network D. Modem
Answer: C. Network An RJ-45 port in a computer is used for wired Ethernet network connections. This connection is an 8P8C connection, which stands for 8 position 8 contact. This connection looks very similar to a modem connection, but a modem's RJ-11 connector has a smaller 6P4C connector.
1-318. Which of these display technologies does not require a backlight and only uses power when displaying colors other than black? A. LCD B. CRT C. OLED D. Plasma
Answer: C. OLED Organic Light Emitting Diode technology that only uses power when lighting individual pixels. Since the individual pixel glows, a backlight isn't required and the color black does not require any power.
1-9. Which of these best describes NFC? A. Requires line-of-site communication B. Commonly connects devices in an automobile C. Operates at a range of 10 cm or less D. Commonly used with wireless headsets E. Uses light as a transport mechanism
Answer: C. Operates at a range of 10 cm or less NFC (Near Field Communication) is commonly used with payment systems, and it operates best at a very close range of 10 centimeters or less.
1-187. Which of these interface types would not commonly be accessible on the outside of a laptop computer? A. Thunderbolt B. FireWire C. PCI Express D. ExpressCard
Answer: C. PCI Express Although ExpressCard uses a PCI Express x1 lane as communication, the ExpressCard interface is specifically designed to have a small form-factor (as small as 34mm wide) instead of the larger desktop-based expansion bus interfaces.
1-259. Which bus type uses full-duplex lanes to provide communication between devices? A. PCI-X B. mini PCI C. PCIe D. AGP
Answer: C. PCIe PCI Express (PCIe) is a serial bus, unlike the parallel bus of PCI or PCI-X. With the serial connectivity, a device can communicate at top speed instead of being limited by the slowest device on the bus.
1-322. You want to upgrade the video on your new computer to the fastest possible speed available. What type of adapter card interface would you expect to find on this new video adapter? A. PCI B. ISA C. PCIe D. Firewire
Answer: C. PCIe PCI Express (PCIe) is the fastest interface type available on today's modern personal computers. Because of the speed of the bus and the smaller relative size over previous interface types, PCI Express is expected to maintain its popularity for the near future.
1-134. Which of these is an important consideration when replacing paper on an impact printer? A. You cannot use multi-part forms B. Laser printer paper cannot be used in an impact printer C. Pre-printed forms must be carefully aligned D. The printer must be calibrated before adding more paper E. Pre-printed forms align automatically
Answer: C. Pre-printed forms must be carefully aligned An impact printer uses either friction feed (for single sheets) or tractor feed for paper that uses holes on each side to pull the paper through the printer. Multi-part paper can be used, and pre-printed forms must be carefully aligned so that everything will print in the correct position on the paper.
1-308. Which of these would be the best way to start your BIOS configuration? A. Start your computer with the Windows installation media, and choose Diagnostics B. Control Panel / Administrative Tools / BIOS Config C. Press the system setup key during the boot process D. Use MSCONFIG to view your BIOS settings
Answer: C. Press the system setup key during the boot process Every computer shows a startup splash screen that prompts to press a key to start the BIOS configuration program. This key is usually F2, Delete, or another key combination.
1-56. Which of these best describes the use of the NX bit? A. Improves CPU throughput B. Adds additional network verification checks C. Prevents code from running in protected memory locations D. Allows multiple applications to run simultaneously
Answer: C. Prevents code from running in protected memory locations The NX bit (No-eXecute bit) is used to prevent malicious code from executing in protected memory locations. Intel calls this the XD bit (eXecute Disable), and AMC refers to this bit as Enhanced Virus Protection.
1-2. If you had four identical drives, which of these RAID types would provide both redundancy and the most available storage space for your data? A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 5 D. RAID 1 + 0
Answer: C. RAID 5 RAID 0 does not provide redundancy, and RAID 1 and 1+0 are mirroring data and therefore are effectively limiting available storage space by 50%. RAID 5 also provides redundancy, but it only uses the space of a single drive for the redundant parity data. With four drives, this means that RAID 5 would provide data storage that was equal to three of the four disks, or 75% of the total disk space.
1-232. The output from your dot-matrix printer is looking very faded. Which of these would be the best way to correct this problem? A. Replace the toner cartridge B. Replace the print head C. Replace the ribbon cartridge D. Replace the ink cartridge
Answer: C. Replace the ribbon cartridge Impact printers use tiny pins to press against a piece of paper, including a ribbon in the middle that transfers the ink to the page. As the ribbon gets used, the output becomes faded. Replacing the modular ribbon cartridge will provide a new source of ink for the output.
1-228. Which memory form-factor includes 200 pin and 204 pin versions? A. DIMM B. SIMM C. SO-DIMM D. RIMM
Answer: C. SO-DIMM A SO-DIMM has a small form factor that's perfect for portable devices. You can find DDR and DDR2 SODIMM packages that have 200 pins, and DDR3 SO-DIMM packages that have 204 pins.
1-220. You need to upgrade the memory in your laptop computer. Which of these memory options would be the most appropriate choice? A. SIMM B. SSD C. SO-DIMM D. Flash
Answer: C. SO-DIMM The Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module is a DIMM that is designed for the smaller real-estate of a laptop motherboard.
1-155. What kind of memory is commonly used in processor caches? A. DRAM B. EEPROM C. SRAM D. SDRAM
Answer: C. SRAM Static RAM (SRAM) is very fast memory, but very expensive memory. It's often used in L1, L2 and L3 processor caches.
1-117. Which of these connectors is commonly used to configure infrastructure devices? A. PS/2 B. FireWire C. Serial D. Parallel
Answer: C. Serial A serial connection is commonly seen as a DE-9 or DE-25 connector, although modern implementations may use an RJ-45 connector or USB port. Because of the ubiquity of serial connectivity, it's common to see serial ports used as a standard for the configuration of infrastructure devices.
1-87. Which of these would you expect to occur as a network connection distance increases? A. Network throughput increases B. Light in a fiber optic strand becomes more focused C. Signal strength degrades D. Signal frequencies increase
Answer: C. Signal strength degrades The farther you get from the source of a signal, the weaker the signal becomes.
1-99. Which of these best describes the replacement of an inkjet cartridge? A. An individual cartridge can be time-consuming to replace B. The cartridges are not recyclable C. Some inkjet cartridge colors can be individually replaced D. The print counter should be reset after a cartridge is replaced
Answer: C. Some inkjet cartridge colors can be individually replaced Although some inkjet printers will combine the cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridge, it's also common to find those colors as individual cartridges. It usually takes just a few seconds to replace an inkjet cartridge, and the plastic cartridges are often recyclable.
1-94. Which of these are specific to thermal printer maintenance? A. The entire colored ink cartridge must be replaced when empty B. The print head must be completely replaced when worn C. Specially coated printer paper is used D. Ribbons can be used until the output becomes difficult to read
Answer: C. Specially coated printer paper is used Thermal printers do not use normal printer paper, and instead use a specially coated paper that turns dark when heat is applied.
1-93. Your organization maintains some large databases that require frequent backups. These databases are currently approaching 10 terabytes of data, and they're constantly growing in size. The database backups usually occur every week, but sometimes a backup is required more frequently. For legal and compliance reasons, the backups must be stored for at least six months. Which of these media would be the best fit for your backup requirements? A. Network attached storage (NAS) arrays B. DVD-ROM C. Tape D. Solid state disk
Answer: C. Tape A tape backup is the best fit for this requirement because of the large amount of storage required and the length of time that all of this media must be archived. NAS would require a massive amount of storage, and you'd need to invest in a lot of disk drives to keep the archives for six months. DVD-ROMs and solid-state disks aren't large enough to reasonably store this much information in a single backup.
1-62. Each time you turn on your computer, you get a message that the BIOS configuration has been set to the defaults and must be reconfigured. Which of these would be the most likely reason for this message? A. The BIOS has just been upgraded B. The BIOS configuration must be periodically updated C. The BIOS battery is no longer charged D. An upgrade is now available for the BIOS
Answer: C. The BIOS battery is no longer charged The battery that maintains the BIOS configuration will eventually lose its charge, which means that the BIOS configuration will only be maintained while the computer maintains a power source.
1-136. You need to install two SATA drives into a new computer system. What determines which drive has boot priority? A. The jumpers on the drive B. The location of the drive on the cable C. The BIOS setting D. The cable select option
Answer: C. The BIOS setting With SATA drives, a single drive is connected to a single port on the motherboard. There are no cable settings or jumpers required to set priorities. You can change the boot priority of the drives from the configuration options in your PC's BIOS.
1-39. When looking over the specifications of a new computer, the front-side bus (FSB) speed is prominently displayed. Why is the front-side bus important? A. The FSB describes the overall speed of the computer. B. The FSB describes the speed of the bus between the hard drives and the CPU. C. The FSB describes the speed of the bus between the northbridge and the CPU. D. The FSB speed is a marketing statistic that has very little practical meaning.
Answer: C. The FSB describes the speed of the bus between the northbridge and the CPU. During the normal operation of a PC, the communications path between the CPU and the memory controller (the northbridge) is heavily utilized. The front-side bus is the communications path that handles all of this traffic, so it stands to reason that the speed of this communications link is a significant factor in the overall speed of a computer. Most PC technical specifications will include the speed of the FSB to assist with speed comparisons between systems.
1-131. Which of these statements about PCI Express is not true? A. PCI Express uses unidirectional serial "lanes" to communicate. B. PCI Express version 1.x can range in speed from 250 megabytes per second to 8 gigabytes per second. C. The PCI Express bus is 64-bits wide. D. PCI Express standard is used in laptops as the ExpressCard interface.
Answer: C. The PCI Express bus is 64-bits wide. The PCI Express standard is based on point-to-point serial connections rather than the parallel bus technology that we've seen with previous bus standards. The links between PCI Express devices are called "lanes."
1-70. A computer power supply is sized by the capacity of watts. What does a watt represent? A. The frequency of the alternating current B. The electrical potential of the direct current C. The amount of energy transferred by the power supply D. The physical size of the power supply
Answer: C. The amount of energy transferred by the power supply A watt is a measurement of work done by the device, and the "capacity" of a power supply is measured by the number of watts that can be supported.
1-22. You have recently upgraded the CPU in one of your servers, including a heat sink and a CPU fan. Unfortunately, the temperature of the CPU is getting very hot during normal operation. Which of these is most likely the cause of this overheating? A. The CPU configuration in the BIOS is misconfigured B. The CPU is not the correct type for your motherboard C. The amount of thermal paste is insufficient D. The processor is faulty
Answer: C. The amount of thermal paste is insufficient The thermal paste creates a thermal connection between a component and a heat sink. Without enough thermal compound, the heat from the component will not properly conduct to the heat sink, and the component will be much hotter than necessary.
1-327. You've found that the temperature of your CPU is running very hot, even though your computer is showing very low CPU utilization. Which of these options would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. The CPU is faulty B. The video card is producing excessive heat C. The computer cooling fans are blocked or faulty D. The memory modules are faulty
Answer: C. The computer cooling fans are blocked or faulty One of the most common problems with cooling a computer is related to the airflow through the computer. If your CPU is overheating, cleaning the computer's air vents will usually resolve the issue as long as the CPU fans and internal computer case fans are working properly.
1-336. What is a display's contrast ratio? A. The number of times a screen is redrawn B. The resolution that exactly matches the number of pixels on an LCD C. The difference between black and white D. The brightness of a display E. Pixel width x pixel height
Answer: C. The difference between black and white The contrast ratio is the measurement between completely black and completely white on a display. A wider range is a better measurement of the overall color capabilities of a display.
1-106. You've been asked to upgrade the BIOS on a customer's computer. What is a BIOS? A. The system memory, or RAM, of the computer system B. The video adapter's hardware drivers C. The firmware that the computer hardware uses to start the operating system D. The hard drive storage of the computer
Answer: C. The firmware that the computer hardware uses to start the operating system The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is the fundamental software built into the motherboard that manages the hardware interactions with the rest of the world. It doesn't matter what operating system is running on the computer; the system needs a way to get the operating system running when you turn on your computer.
1-144. You're planning a memory upgrade on one of your laptop computers, and you notice that the manufacturer recommends that memory modules are installed in pairs. Why would this recommendation be part of the memory specifications? A. The memory modules are redundant. If one fails, the other module will continue to operate. B. The memory modules are dual-sided, but the laptop motherboard can only access one side of the memory to save battery power. C. The laptop motherboard doubles the available memory throughput when two memory modules are used. D. The laptop motherboard was engineered before large-capacity memory was widely available.
Answer: C. The laptop motherboard doubles the available memory throughput when two memory modules are used. Motherboards that support a dual-channel architecture can effectively double the throughput of their memory bandwidth by installing memory modules in pairs. Different motherboards use these multiple channels differently, so you should check your documentation to determine the appropriate type and speed of memory to use.
1-195. Which of these is most associated with the print head of an inkjet printer? A. The pins in the print head can become worn over time B. The print head must be replaced at the same time as the ribbon C. The print head must be periodically cleaned D. The print head uses heat to change the color of the paper
Answer: C. The print head must be periodically cleaned The ink used in an inkjet printer tends to clog very easily, so most printers will automatically clean the print heads every day.
1-253. In which of these cases would you be most likely to use a thermal printer? A. Multiple copies are required B. The document will be archived C. The printer will be used in a library D. Documents are printed in full color E. A relatively heavy stock paper is required
Answer: C. The printer will be used in a library Thermal printers are very quiet, and are often used in places where the noise level is a factor.
1-334. What happens during the developing step of the laser printing process? A. The drum is charged with a negative electrostatic charge B. The toner is moved from the imaging drum to the paper C. Toner is added to the charged areas of the imaging drum D. The laser writes the image to the drum
Answer: C. Toner is added to the charged areas of the imaging drum The developing step moves toner from the storage area onto the areas of the imaging drum that were charged in the exposing step.
1-53. One of the computers on the manufacturing floor is having problems with the barcode reader that inventories all new products. Which of these interfaces would most commonly be used with this reader? A. SCSI B. 25-pin serial C. USB D. MIDI
Answer: C. USB Although barcode readers are relatively specialized, they almost always use a very common PC interface. In many cases, you'll find a barcode reader using one of the older mini-DIN (PS/2) or the more-common USB connection.
1-204. Which of these ports is typically NOT used for video output? A. VGA B. HDMI C. USB D. DVI
Answer: C. USB Many LCD monitors include VGA, HDMI, and DVI interfaces.
1-241. Which of these would you most commonly use to connect a microphone to a computer? A. FireWire B. eSATA C. USB D. MIDI E. XLR
Answer: C. USB USB is one of the most common interfaces for a digital microphone connection.
1-329. Which serial interface is rated at a maximum speed of 480 megabits per second? A. 9-pin RS-232 B. USB 1.1 C. USB 2.0 D. USB 3.0
Answer: C. USB 2.0 USB 2.0 is one of the most common USB formats, and it is rated at up to 480 megabits per second, with backwards compatibility to USB 1.1 (12 megabits per second) and USB 1.0 (1.5 megabits per second). The newest USB standard is USB 3.0, and it can run at speeds up to 5 gigabits per second.
1-17. Which of these best describes digital modulation? A. Listening to an FM radio station B. Playing audio from computer speakers C. Using a modem for Internet connectivity D. Ringing a bell
Answer: C. Using a modem for Internet connectivity Digital modulation is the communication of digital signals over an analog carrier. Converting a digital signal from an analog connection using a modem is a common form of digital modulation.
1-125. What 15-pin connector is commonly used to transmit analog video? A. HDMI B. Display Port C. VGA D. RJ-45 E. RCA
Answer: C. VGA The analog VGA connector is a DE-15 interface that is colored blue if you follow the PC System Design Guide specifications. It's one of the longest-lived and most common interfaces that you'll find.
1-29. What of these features are enabled when AMD-V is available? A. VLAN support B. Hyperthreading C. Virtualization D. Visual feedback of audio output
Answer: C. Virtualization AMD processors provide virtualization support through a feature called AMD-V. Intel processors use VT, or Intel Virtualization Technology.
1-211. What kind of CPU socket is commonly paired with a PGA processor package? A. LGA B. SFP C. ZIF D. SECC E. DIP
Answer: C. ZIF The Zero Insertion Force socket is commonly paired with a processor that uses the PGA package. The PGA processor has pins that are gently placed on a ZIF (the zero insertion force). A bar is used to lock the processor in place without using any undue pressure on the motherboard.
1-96. What does the "e" in eSATA stand for? A. electronic B. environmental C. external D. efficient
Answer: C. external The eSATA standard provides high-speed throughput in an external storage connection.
1-60. Which motherboard form factor was designed to fit into legacy cases, and takes up less space with fewer expansion slots? A. ATX B. NLX C. microATX D. BTX
Answer: C. microATX The microATX motherboard has become a popular form factor, due in part to its compatibility with existing ATX-sized computer cases.
1-101. Which of these most closely matches the maximum distance of an eSATA connection? A. 7 meters B. 100 meters C. 12 meters D. 2 meters
Answer: D. 2 meters The maximum length of an eSATA connection is about 2 meters. Internal SATA connections have a maximum distance of 1 meter.
1-222. What is the maximum number of pins that can be found in a DVI port? A. 9 B. 15 C. 20 D. 28
Answer: D. 28 The DVI (Digital Visual Interface) port has many different layouts, but the maximum number of pin connectors that could be found in a single DVI port is 28 pins.
1-178. Which of these would most commonly be used to provide additional power to a video adapter? A. Berg connector B. One or more Molex connectors C. 20-pin or 24-pin motherboard connector D. 6-pin power connector E. Power inverter
Answer: D. 6-pin power connector PCI Express adapters can get additional power through the use of 6-pin or 8-pin power connectors.
1-302. A Basic Input Output System (BIOS) can provide a number of personal computer enhancements. Which of these would not be an advantage of installing an updated BIOS version? A. The addition of new features B. Support for new hardware C. Fix for serious functional flaws D. Addition of new operating system utilities
Answer: D. Addition of new operating system utilities A BIOS upgrade can do a lot of things, but it can't make additions to your operating system. The only way to add new features to the operating system is to install them from inside the OS, not from the BIOS. A BIOS upgrade can include new features like new boot password functionality or additional troubleshooting utilities. As technology changes, BIOS upgrades can add and improve the capabilities of your hardware such as maximum supported memory or support for new interface types. BIOS upgrades can fix issues associated with the interactions to the computer's hardware.
1-325. Which of these should your printer support to allow printing from iOS devices? A. Apple Print B. SMB sharing C. 802.11 ad-hoc mode D. AirPrint E. AppleTalk
Answer: D. AirPrint An AirPrint-compatible printer can support direct printing from iOS devices over a local wireless network.
1-143. Which of these would be the best reason for calibrating an inkjet printer? A. Increase the overall printing rate B. Process multiple print jobs faster C. Increase the data transfer rate between the printer and the computer D. Align the inkjet nozzles to the paper E. Increase the overall life of the print head
Answer: D. Align the inkjet nozzles to the paper The calibration of an inkjet printer aligns the nozzles for crisp and clear output.
1-24. One of your customers is looking for a MIDI-to-USB interface for her new laptop computer. What is she probably connecting to her PC? A. A digital video camera B. An analog audio input C. An external monitor D. An electronic piano keyboard
Answer: D. An electronic piano keyboard The Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a standard digital connection used primarily for musical instruments.
1-5. What software is responsible for starting your computer when power is applied? A. MBR B. NTLDR C. OS Kernel D. BIOS
Answer: D. BIOS Your computer's Basic Input/Output System is firmware that tells your computer how to launch your operating system.
1-250. Which of these methods would be the best way to view the voltages on motherboard power rails? A. Memory diagnostics B. Control Panel / System C. Windows Event Viewer D. BIOS hardware monitor
Answer: D. BIOS hardware monitor Many motherboards now include sensors for temperature, fan speeds, and voltages of the power rails. If your BIOS includes a section for hardware monitoring, you can check the performance of the hardware without booting your operating system!
1-163. Put these in order, from the smallest capacity to the highest. A. Dual-Layer DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, Single-Layer Blu-ray disc, 8 GB USB memory stick B. 8 GB USB memory stick, Dual-Layer DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, Single-Layer Blu-ray disc C. CD-ROM, Dual-Layer DVD-ROM, 8 GB USB memory stick, Single-Layer Blu-ray disc D. CD-ROM, 8 GB USB memory stick, Dual-Layer DVD-ROM, Single-Layer Blu-ray disc
Answer: D. CD-ROM, 8 GB USB memory stick, Dual-Layer DVD-ROM, Single-Layer Blu-ray disc A CD-ROM capacity is generally about 700 megabytes, a Dual-Layer DVD-ROM can hold 8.5 GB, and a Single-Layer Blu-ray disc supports 25 GB of storage space.
1-33. Which of these steps would be the best choice prior to physically installing a new adapter card into a computer? A. Upgrade the anti-virus software B. Add the computer to the Active Directory domain C. Defragment the primary storage drive D. Check the documentation to determine the order of installing the drivers and the physical adapter card
Answer: D. Check the documentation to determine the order of installing the drivers and the physical adapter card Some adapter cards require that a driver be installed prior to the physical installation of the card. Be sure to check the instructions with your adapter card to determine the option you should take prior to placing the adapter card inside of the computer.
1-226. You'd like to configure a computer so that it won't start the operating system unless the correct password is provided. What's the best way to accomplish this? A. Configure a Windows Administrator password B. Configure a supervisor password in the BIOS C. Define drive encryption options in Windows D. Configure a user password in the BIOS
Answer: D. Configure a user password in the BIOS The user password option in the BIOS is designed to stop the boot process and prompt the user for a password. The computer will only continue with the boot process if the correct password is provided.
1-180. Which of these would be the most compatible with Thunderbolt? A. SATA B. FireWire C. Lightning D. DVI E. USB
Answer: D. DVI Thunderbolt carries both DisplayPort video and PCI Express data, and uses the same interface as Mini DisplayPort. Because of these compatibilities, it's easy to convert between digital video on a DVI interface and a Thunderbolt interface.
1-130. How does RAID 1 provide redundancy? A. Parity information is distributed across multiple drives B. Multiple drives contain distributed parity and duplicated data C. Information is periodically transferred to an offline storage device D. Data is duplicated across multiple drives E. RAID 1 does not provide any data redundancy
Answer: D. Data is duplicated across multiple drives RAID 1, or data mirroring, duplicates all data so that a "mirror" of the information is always available across multiple physical drives.
1-135. You've run into a problem with a computer, and during the troubleshooting process you upgraded the BIOS version of the PC. What kind of memory allows you to update the BIOS code of the computer? A. PROM B. SROM C. DVD-ROM D. EEPROM
Answer: D. EEPROM Electrically Erasable Read-Only Memory can be erased and written to many times, yet still maintain the state of the memory whithout any power source. For computer BIOS code, this is a perfect combination of constant state and upgradability.
1-236. Which of these items would you commonly find in a laser printer maintenance kit? A. Toner cartridge B. Printer head C. Toner vacuum D. Fuser unit
Answer: D. Fuser unit A laser printer maintenance kit usually contains parts that wear out, such as feed rollers or fuser units. Consumables such as ink and toner aren't usually included in a maintenance kit.
1-20. What is the purpose of a CPU cache? A. It increases the clock rate of the CPU B. Improves the overall clock speed of the FSB C. Adds an extra CPU core at each cache layer D. Holds data, instructions, or results for fast retrieval
Answer: D. Holds data, instructions, or results for fast retrieval A CPU cache can make your system appear to run much faster because the efficiency of the data path is improved by holding information in fast cache memory.
1-314. Which of these printer types is the best choice for printing multiple copies simultaneously? A. Laser B. Inkjet C. Thermal D. Impact E. Virtual
Answer: D. Impact A dot matrix impact printer uses small pins that print to multiple printed copies simultaneously.
1-47. Which of these would be considered an advantage of a UEFI BIOS? A. Adds new video resolution options B. Stores BIOS configuration information on flash memory C. Can boot from both hard drives and solid state drives D. Includes a pre-boot environment
Answer: D. Includes a pre-boot environment A UEFI BIOS comes with an advanced pre-boot environment that enables extensive troubleshooting without the requirement of an underlying operating system.
1-148. In which of these would you often find a graphics processing unit on modern computer systems? A. Integrated into the Southbridge B. Integrated into the BIOS C. Connected via USB D. Integrated into the primary CPU
Answer: D. Integrated into the primary CPU Newer processors include a graphics processing unit as part of the main processor itself.
1-45. What component on a motherboard provides configuration options by connecting two pins to create an electrical circuit? A. Bypass B. Serial C. Flag D. Jumper E. Ribbon
Answer: D. Jumper A jumper is an electrical conductor that can be placed on two jumper pins to complete an electrical circuit, and therefore change a configuration option. It is common to see jumpers on motherboards, adapter cards, and other computing devices.
1-223. Which of these would be considered an output device? A. Digitizer B. Camcorder C. Microphone D. LCD Display E. Touch pad F. Scanner
Answer: D. LCD Display LCD displays are some of the most popular PC output devices.
1-92. Which of these values is associated the brightness of a display? A. Resolution B. Refresh Rate C. Hertz D. Lumens
Answer: D. Lumens The number of lumens is the standard associated with the brightness of a display. Three-thousand lumens would work in a dim room, and six-thousand lumens would work well in a sunlit room.
1-171. You are building a computer system that has 2 hard drives, 2 optical drives, an enhanced audio system, a television tuner, and an upgraded video card. Which of the following components are the most important to consider when building this new system? A. Video interface type B. Memory type C. Motherboard style D. Power supply size
Answer: D. Power supply size With all of these different components, the size of the power supply is going to be a critical consideration.
1-263. The output from your dot-matrix printer appears to show missing or incomplete characters. Which of these would be the most likely cause of this issue? A. Print ribbon is worn B. Impact printer paper is required C. The computer is sending incomplete data to the printer D. Print head is faulty
Answer: D. Print head is faulty The print head of a dot-matrix printer is made of many small pins, and a bad print head may cause some of these pins to stop working.
1-49. Which part of the laser printing process requires extensive use of printer memory? A. Fusing B. Exposing C. Transferring D. Processing
Answer: D. Processing The processing phase of the laser printing process "builds" the entire page in memory before the printing process begins. A laser printer must print an entire page without stopping, so the rendering of the page must occur before the printer begins.
1-321. Which of these memory types can't be changed or erased? A. SDROM B. RDRAM C. SRAM D. ROM E. SDRAM
Answer: D. ROM Read-only memory (ROM) is memory that can't be modified or changed. It's common to see ROM chips used as firmware for storage devices or game cartridges for gaming systems.
1-30. Which of these acronyms is a hard drive interface? A. PCI B. VGA C. BIOS D. SATA
Answer: D. SATA The Serial ATA interface is the only one listed that could be part of a hard drive interface. PCI refers to the Peripheral Component Interconnect bus, VGA is the Video Graphics Array interface, and BIOS is the Basic Input/Output System.
1-36. Which of these sockets would be most associated with an Intel Sandy Bridge i7 processor? A. Socket T B. Socket AM3 C. Socket F D. Socket H2 E. Socket 940
Answer: D. Socket H2 Intel's Socket H2 was released in 2011 and provided a socket for the Intel Sandy Bridge i3, i5, and i7 processors.
1-293. You're configuring Windows 7 to build a RAID array from a series of drives. Which of these would be NOT be a characteristic of software-based RAID arrays? A. Software-based RAID is a feature of the operating system B. Software-based RAID doesn't require any special hardware C. Software-based RAID supports mirroring and striping D. Software-based RAID is configured outside of the operating system
Answer: D. Software-based RAID is configured outside of the operating system Many operating systems support RAID configurations as part of the operating system. Although the performance isn't usually as good as hardware-based RAID arrays, the low cost and convenience of building RAID arrays without any special hardware can be a significant advantage.
1-11. How does a thermal printer display information on a printed page? A. The printer uses heat and pressure to "fuse" the image to the paper B. A heated print head pulls a small bubble of ink from an ink cartridge C. A small set of pins are heated and pressed onto the page D. Special paper is heated until it changes color E. A set of colored ink rolls are heated until the colors transfer to the paper
Answer: D. Special paper is heated until it changes color Thermal printers don't use any ink or toner because of the special paper used during the printing process. A heating element in the print head applies a small amount of heat, and the paper changes color wherever it's heated.
1-181. What type of power supply can operate in different countries that have different voltages? A. High-voltage B. Primary C. Notched D. Switching
Answer: D. Switching A switching power supply can be used for both 110 volts and 220 volts, making it easy to go between different power standards without changing the power supply or modifying the power source.
1-149. You've just installed a new motherboard. The computer appears to be working properly, but none of the status lights on the outside of the computer appear to be working. Which of these is the most likely cause of the problem? A. The lights are faulty B. The motherboard is faulty C. The new motherboard is incompatible with the case lights D. The case lights are not connected to the motherboard
Answer: D. The case lights are not connected to the motherboard Although a disconnected set of wires is the most likely cause, it's even more likely because of the other options. All of the lights failing at once isn't very likely, and it's just as unlikely that all of those connections on the motherboard are also faulty. Since the case lights are almost universally compatible with motherboards, there's only one likely choice left.
1-67. Which of these would be the best reason for performing a laser printer calibration? A. There are vertical lines down the page of the output B. The printer is taking too long to print C. The paper is consistently jamming inside of the printer D. The printer output appears too dark E. The printer is not printing any pages
Answer: D. The printer output appears too dark The laser printer calibration process can adjust the output to print with a different density of toner. This is especially useful when a new toner cartridge is installed that uses a different brand of toner.
1-215. You've just installed a new motherboard, but you notice that the speaker isn't providing the normal beeping noise when you start the computer. What is the most likely cause of this issue? A. The speaker is not compatible with the motherboard B. The speaker driver is not properly installed C. The speaker is not large enough for the motherboard D. The speaker connector on the motherboard is improperly installed
Answer: D. The speaker connector on the motherboard is improperly installed The motherboard includes a number of wire connections for the speaker, the power switch, status lights, and other case features. During the installation, it's common to miss a connector or to connect a wire to the incorrect port. Make sure you double-check your wire connections!
1-265. What is commonly used to create a thermal connection between a component and a heat sink? A. Pressure B. Cooling fan C. Liquid coolant D. Thermal paste
Answer: D. Thermal paste Thermal compound or thermal paste is a substance designed to create a thermal connection between a hot component and the heat sink that sits on the component. Without the thermal paste, the hot component would not be able to transfer as much heat to the heat sink, thereby limiting the cooling process.
1-231. Which HDMI connector type is designed for smaller devices? A. RCA B. DB-15 C. DVI D. Type C
Answer: D. Type C The traditional size of HDMI interface is a Type A, and the smaller, more compact HDMI interface is a Type C. You will commonly see Type C interfaces on cameras and mobile devices.
1-316. What does Intel VT provide? A. Vector Tunneling B. Video Throughput C. Virus Threat Protection D. Virtualization Technology
Answer: D. Virtualization Technology Intel's Virtual Technology (VT) and AMD-V (AMD Virtualization) are CPU technologies that add OS virtualization support to the CPU hardware.
1-55. What does the exposing step of the laser printing process do? A. Removes excess toner from the imaging drum B. Moves the toner from the drum to the paper C. Adds toner to the charged areas of the imaging drum D. Write the image on the imaging drum with a laser
Answer: D. Write the image on the imaging drum with a laser The laser writes the image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. Toner will be added during the developing process that will stick to these exposed areas.
1-326. Which of these standards provide a method of storing data outside of a computer case? A. PCIe B. SATA C. PCI D. eSATA
Answer: D. eSATA External SATA is a common standard that provides SATA connectivity to external devices. Many of the newest laptops and desktops include eSATA interfaces on the outside of the case, and an increasing number of external storage devices include eSATA connectivity as an option.
1-157. Which of the following interfaces can support removable storage devices? A. Serial B. Parallel C. PATA D. eSATA
Answer: D. eSATA External Serial ATA ports are becoming more common on the exterior of modern personal computers. Although the communication format is similar to SATA, the eSATA standard ports use different connectors and cables than internal SATA connections. Serial ports are legacy connectors that were originally designed to support low-speed communication devices such as teleprinters and modem technology. Parallel connections are standard peripheral connectors, and the port is often called a printer port. Most modern printers connect to personal computers through a USB connection. Parallel ATA ports are common on many motherboards, but the standard was designed to only support internal drive connections.
1-294. Which of these contrast ratios would provide the highest quality display? A. 1:1 B. 2:1 C. 100:1 D. 1,000:1 E. 5,000:1
Answer: E. 5,000:1 The contrast ratio is the ratio between the luminance of the brightest white and darkest black. The higher the ratio, the better quality picture.
1-177. What part of the laser printing process prepares the drum with an electrostatic charge? A. Processing B. Transferring C. Fusing D. Cleaning E. Charging
Answer: E. Charging The charging process covers the photosensitive drum with an electrostatic charge in preparation for the exposing process.
1-129. Which of these would be considered a disadvantage of inkjet printing? A. Relatively loud when printing B. Requires special paper C. Print heads are difficult to replace D. Requires on-printer memory E. Clogs easily
Answer: E. Clogs easily Inkjet printer ink has a tendency to clog, and most inkjet printers will perform a daily cleaning to keep the print heads clear. An inkjet printer is relatively quiet, uses typical copy/printer paper, doesn't require memory on the printer to build the page image, and the print heads are replaced easily with the ink cartridges.
1-307. Which of these would best describe a USB flash memory stick? A. PROM B. ROM C. SDRAM D. RAM E. EEPROM
Answer: E. EEPROM Flash memory can be described as electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).
1-170. How do you enable virtualization support on an Intel CPU? A. Install a 32-bit operating system B. Turn on Hyper-Threading Technology (HTT) C. Allocate a larger amount of space to the virtualization partition D. Increase the amount of system memory E. Enable VT in the firmware
Answer: E. Enable VT in the firmware Intel's VT (Virtualization Technology) enables virtualization features in the CPU. This capabilities is generally enabled and disabled in the BIOS of the computer.
1-299. What occurs during a laser printer's fusing process? A. The photosensitive drum inside of the laser printer is given an electrostatic charge, effectively creating a clean slate for the laser to expose an image. B. A laser "writes" the image to the photosensitive drum, reversing the electrostatic charge on the drum and creating an image to which the toner will "stick." C. Toner particles are exposed to the photosensitive drum and are electrostatically attracted to the areas charged by the laser. D. The toner on to the photosensitive drum is transferred to the paper. E. Heat and pressure melts the toner particles so they will bond with the paper.
Answer: E. Heat and pressure melts the toner particles so they will bond with the paper. The fusing process combines heat and pressure to melt and "fuse" the toner onto the paper. Without this part of the process, the toner particles would smear and fall from the paper.
1-269. What memory configuration increases throughput when more than one memory module is installed? A. CPU RAM B. Northbridge memory C. Hyper-threading D. Overclocking E. Multi-channel memory
Answer: E. Multi-channel memory Multi-channel memory provides the best throughput when multiple modules are installed rather than a single memory module. Your motherboard documentation should tell you if multi-channel memory is an option on your computer.
1-78. Which of these characteristics would be important when designing a thin client workstation? A. Multiple CPUs B. Specialized GPU C. HDMI video input D. Maximum RAM installed E. None of the above
Answer: E. None of the above A thin client user is executing applications on a separate server, so there's no requirement for high-end graphics, CPU, or memory. A thin client with a basic keyboard, mouse, and video display can perform all of the same functions as a traditional thick client.
1-237. Performance-based question: Put these computer interface standards in order from slowest speed to fastest. Use all of the available options. A. USB 2.0 B. SATA revision 2.0 C. 802.11g D. Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR
Answer: The answer: D) Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR (3 Mbit/sec), C) 802.11g (54 Mbit/sec), A) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec), B) SATA revision 2.0 (3.0 Gbit/sec)
AFP =
Apple Filing Protocol
AFP
Apple Filing Protocol Port 548 (or 427)
A client's computer is not connecting to a website. Which of the following commands will allow the technician to view the route/number of hops between the host and remote systems? A. nbtstat B. tracert C. nslookup D. netstat
B. Tracert
Under normal circumstances, which of the following wireless standards provides the slowest transfer speed at 2.4GHz? A. 802.11a B. 802.11b C. 802.11g D. 802.11n
B. 802.11b
A customer wants to transfer data from the DVR to a DVD. Which of the following should be used on a workstation in order to extract the data for archiving? A. Optical drive B. Capture card C. Thunderbolt D. External storage
B. Capture Card
A user is reporting that a desktop computer with a RAID 1 array is running slowly. Upon performing a reboot, the technician sees S.M.A.R.T. errors during boot up. Which of the following tools would the technician use FIRST to troubleshoot the errors? A. diskpart B. chkdsk C. format D. clean
B. Chkdsk
A user opens a service ticket for a laser printer that has paper jams. Lately, jamming has become more frequent. The technician recreates the problem and checks the printer logs for more information about the printer. Which of the following choices are MOST likely fixes to this problem? (Select TWO). A. Clean and inspect the laser drum assembly B. Clean and inspect the entire paper path C. Use the printer maintenance kit to replace parts D. Replace the paper exit assembly switch E. Clean and replace the paper out sensor F. Clean the fuser cold roller and verify fuser operation
B. Clean and inspect the entire paper path C. Use the printer maintenance kit to replace parts
A user wants pages 1-5 separated from 6-8 when they are retrieved from the printer. Which of the following settings would the user change in the print job to ensure the pages are separated? A. Duplex B. Collate C. Orientation D. Quality
B. Collate
A technician is setting up a printer in a training room. The trainer needs to be able to print multiple copies of the training documentation for the classes. Which of the following should the technician configure on the printer to facilitate this? A. Scanning B. Collating C. Faxing D. Duplexing
B. Collating
A user, Joe, is watching a training education video and notices dark pin-sized dots in the same location on his laptop LCD screen. Which of the following is the cause of this issue? A. Distorted image B. Dead pixels C. Pixelation D. Incorrect color palette
B. Dead pixels
A SOHO is considering a purchase of several printers that will facilitate printing on both sides of the media. Which of the following optional add-ons will provide this functionality? A. Collate B. Duplex C. Fast draft D. Paper type
B. Duplex
A company wants to conserve paper without limiting the ability to print. Which of the following settings needs to be configured? A. Orientation B. Duplex C. Collate D. Quality
B. Duplex
A user wants to reduce the amount of paper consumed on a multi-function printer. Which of the following settings should be configured to achieve this outcome? A. Orientation B. Duplex C. Collate D. Economy ink
B. Duplex
A technician has just installed a new SOHO router. There are four people sharing the Internet connection, and whenever one specific user comes online and begins streaming media, browsing slows down for the other users. Which of the following settings can the technician adjust so the experience is universal for all users? A. DSL B. QoS C. VNC D. WAN
B. QoS
A technician needs to configure a computer system for MAXIMUM safety of stored data while staying cost effective. Which of the following RAID levels should be used? A. RAID 0 B. RAID 1 C. RAID 3 D. RAID 5
B. RAID 1
Which of the following Internet connection types is known to have a significantly higher latency than the others? A. Cable B. Satellite C. DSL D. Fiber
B. Satellite
A client, Joe, has reported issues with the back cover of his company-issued smartphone. Joe stated that it seems to either come off on its own, or will not seat properly on the phone. Which of the following is MOST likely the problem? A. The MicroSD card is not installed properly. B. The battery needs to be replaced. C. The charging port is bent. D. The smartphone has a non-OEM cover.
B. The battery needs to be replaced.
Which of the following is important when replacing a power supply in a workstation located in a datacenter server rack? A. A fanless power supply should be used B. The proper voltage must be selected C. The unit must be the same or less wattage D. The power connector location must be the same
B. The proper voltage must be selected
A laptop is setup at a podium for a presentation but is set to extended desktop. The presenter would like it to show exactly what the laptop screen is showing. Which of the following would be the QUICKEST way to accomplish this? A. Look for the setting in control panel B. Toggle the dual display function key C. Change the screen orientation D. Reboot the laptop
B. Toggle the dual display function key
A technician is tasked with finding and labeling where a network connection terminates in a patch panel. Which of the following tools would be BEST for the technician to use? A. Ethernet cable tester B. Tone generator and probe C. RJ-45 loopback plug D. Patch panel punchdown tool
B. Tone generator and probe
A user is noticing fine black particles on printouts and in the printer itself. Which of the following tools is recommended to fix this issue? A. Denatured alcohol B. Toner vacuum C. Compressed air D. Moist towel
B. Toner Vacuum
Joe, a technician, is tasked to install a new client machine. He notices the machine is not getting any network connectivity. He tests the network cable between the PC and the network jack and confirms it is good. Joe goes to the network closet and finds several network cables not connected to the switch. Which of the following tools would Joe use to determine which cable goes back to the correct network jack? A. Loopback plug B. Toner probe C. WiFi analyzer D. Punchdown tool
B. Toner probe
Which of the following devices does a technician need to calibrate as part of an installation? A. Mouse B. Touch screen C. Keyboard D. Video card
B. Touch screen
GPS
Global Positioning System
A technician has just installed a wireless access point in a customer's home office. While testing the network and browsing the Internet, the technician finds that the connection is not stable, speeds are slow, and websites sometimes do not load. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST? A. Re-enable the broadcasting of the access point's SSID so it is visible to mobile devices. B. Use a WiFi analyzer to ensure neighboring networks are not using the same channel. C. Reconfigure network devices to use static IPs instead of DHCP-assigned addresses. D. Change the signal encryption from WPA2 to WEP to ease transmission overhead.
B. Use a WiFi analyzer to ensure neighboring networks are not using the same channel.
A user works in a public kiosk where their laptop is susceptible to theft. The information can be remotely wiped so data loss is not a concern. Which of the following options should be considered to secure the laptop? A. Use data encryption. B. Use a cable lock. C. Use multifactor authentication. D. Use a strong password.
B. Use a cable lock.
A technician is installing Hyper-V and is getting an error that the software is not able to be installed. Which of the following processor characteristics should be checked? A. Cache size B. Virtualization support C. Number of cores D. Hyperthreading
B. Virtualization support
Which of the following technologies is the MOST secure form of wireless encryption? A. SSL B. WPA C. WEP D. TLS
B. WPA
A network administrator has a requirement to implement a WiFi hot-spot for the public. Which of the following should be used for secure access? A. WEP and TKIP B. WPA2 and AES C. WPA and static IPs D. WPA2 and MAC filtering
B. WPA2 and AES
A technician is tasked with replacing all the APs in an office building for greater speeds. The current location of APs allowed for total coverage of WiFi throughout the office. Which of the following 802.11 standards should be used? A. a B. ac C. b D. g E. n
B. ac
Twisted Pair Copper Cabling
Balanced pair operation -Two wires with equal and opposite signals -Transmit+, Transmit-/Receive+, Receive- The twist is key -Keeps a single wire constantly moving away from interference Opposite ends are compared to each other Pairs have different twist rates
The Expansion Bus
Bandwidth in bits Expansion bus gets its own clock
Thin Client
Basic Application Usage -Applications are run on a remote server -Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Local devices is a keyboard, mouse, and screen Meets minimum requirements for running OS Network Connectivity is a must
BIOS
Basic Input/Output System
What is the set of instructions used to start the most basic services of a computer system?
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)
BNC
Bayonet-Neill-Concelman or British Naval Connector
Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray Discs (BDs) Are used for HD and games and have a capacity of 25 to 128 GB (mini-discs 7.8 or 15.6 GB) and a write speed of 1x to 16x (36 Mb/s to 576 Mb/s).
BD-R
Blu-ray Disc Recordable
BD-RE
Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable
___________ is a short-range technology aimed at simplifying communications and synchronization among network devices.
Bluetooth
Which of the following would typically require the use of a punchdown tool to connect a cable to the network switch? A. Router B. Repeater C. Patch panel D. PoE injector
C. Patch panel
Which of the following is a public IP address? A. 10.45.xxx.xxx B. 169.254.xxx.xxx C. 173.16.xxx.xxx D. 192.168.xxx.xxx
C. 173.16.xxx.xxx
A technician is troubleshooting an expansion card in a computer that allows the computer to receive faxes over a VoIP line. The telephone line connected to the expansion card is MOST likely which of the following cable types? A. Coaxial B. CAT3 C. CAT6 D. Multi-mode fiber E. Single-mode fiber
C. CAT6
A user is attempting to print a color document but it will not print in color. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to fix the problem? A. Reset printer IP address. B. Change color toner cartridge. C. Check grayscale setting. D. Reinstall printer driver.
C. Check grayscale setting.
An inkjet printer is not printing properly. The user's computer has the printer software loaded and is not displaying any errors. A test print was performed, with one of the colors not printing properly. Which of the following would the technician typically perform FIRST to resolve the issue? A. Replace cartridges B. Run a cleaning page C. Clean heads D. Clean fuser assembly
C. Clean heads
A user notices the printer that is used for printing global shipper's labels is missing columns in the printed labels. The special label stock is new and appears to be fine. Which of the following should the technician perform FIRST when troubleshooting this problem? A. Remove any stuck labels from the paper path B. Clean the pickup rollers and check them for wear C. Clean the print head with approved materials D. Replace and realign the print head
C. Clean the print head with approved materials
A small workgroup inherits a second-hand printer without networking capabilities. Which of the following is the BEST method of sharing this resource among the workgroup? A. Connect the printer to a Bluetooth adapter in order for the users to print B. Connect the printer by using the onboard Infrared port C. Connect the printer to a user's workstation and share the device D. Connect the printer to a parallel switch box
C. Connect the printer to a user's workstation and share the device
A technician is building a new PC and notices that it has 8 DIMM sockets labeled 0 through 7. Four are white and four are blue. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST? A. Install the memory in the four white slots B. Install the memory in the four blue slots C. Consult the motherboard documentation D. Install the memory in slots 0 through 3 E. Fill all slots with memory
C. Consult the motherboard documentation
Users have started calling the helpdesk reporting they cannot access resources on the network or the Internet. A technician has verified all hardware connections are operational. Which of the following settings should the technician check NEXT on the router? A. SNMP B. NNTP C. DHCP D. WLAN
C. DHCP
A technician upgrades an older computer to Windows 8. The computer is running unusually slow, but the hardware has no problems and is adequate for the OS. Which of the following is the MOST likely solution? A. Change the boot sequence B. Switch the BIOS to UEFI C. Defragment the hard drive D. Enable virtualization
C. Defragment the hard drive
A server has been configured behind a firewall and a website has been deployed, but customers are unable to access the website. Which of the following should the technician do to ensure the customers can access the site? A. Place server in DMZ. B. Change DHCP settings. C. Enable port forwarding. D. Adjust QoS settings.
C. Enable Port Forwarding
A user is watching streaming video on a home network, but experiences buffering and delays when there are too many people on the network. Which of the following is MOST likely to resolve the issue? A. Disable SSID broadcast B. Setup UPnP C. Enable QoS D. Configure DMZ
C. Enable QoS
A customer states that when booting up the workstation, there is a message that says "no operating system detected"; then, it continues to boot into the operating system. The customer is preparing to modify files on a USB drive. Which of the following should a technician perform to resolve the problem? A. Reinstall the operating system to reinstall the hardware drivers. B. Modify the boot.ini within the operating system. C. Modify the boot sequence within the UEFI. D. Disable the TPM chip to turn off data encryption.
C. Modify the boot sequence within the UEFI.
A customer signed up for the mobile pay service to use with their first generation smartphone but it does not work at any place that supports the mobile pay service. Which of the following is missing from the customer's smartphone? A. RFID B. IMSI C. NFC chip D. Bluetooth
C. NFC Chip
A user has requested a device that could be used for web-conferences while away from work. The device will mainly be used for emailing, document reviewing, and phone calls. Which of the following mobile devices would a technician MOST likely recommend? A. Tablet B. Smart camera C. Phablet D. Web camera
C. Phablet
Ann, a user, wants to host a gaming server on her SOHO network. Which of the following features on the SOHO router would need to be configured? A. Channels B. DHCP C. Port forwarding D. Firmware
C. Port forwarding
A technician connects a second monitor to a desktop. It is physically located to the right of the existing monitor, but the mouse pointer can only get to the second monitor by moving to the left edge of the screen of the first monitor. Which of following display settings needs to be adjusted to get the pointer to move with the physical placement of the monitor? A. Scaling B. Rotation C. Position D. Resolution
C. Position
A technician needs to run a cable for a new computer and the requirement is CAT6. Which of the following wiring connectors should the technician use when terminating the cable? A. BNC B. RJ-12 C. RJ-45 D. ST E. F-connector
C. RJ45
A technician has upgraded the BIOS of a system that is running with multiple hard drives. Afterward, the system will not boot and displays an error message "Operating system not found". Which of the following is the FIRST thing the technician should inspect? A. The hard drive type settings in the BIOS B. The power supply connections to the hard drives C. The boot sequence settings in the BIOS D. The motherboard SATA connectors
C. The boot sequence settings in the BIOS
A technician installs a new video card in a desktop with onboard video. The technician boots the unit but sees no display. The monitor power light is on and the OS seems to be loading. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause? A. The display is defective. B. The video card needs to be flashed. C. The internal adapter has not been disabled. D. The new video card is defective.
C. The internal adapter has not been disabled.
The technician is repairing a PC which appears to have a failing RAM module. After replacing the module, the extra memory still is not registering. Which of the following is MOST likely the issue? A. Jumper settings are incorrect B. The RAM module is defective C. The memory slot is defective D. CMOS needs to be flashed
C. The memory slot is defective
A new employee has reported that print jobs are printing as garbled text. Which of the following is MOST likely the reason for this issue? A. The printer needs a maintenance kit installed B. The network cable on the printer is unplugged C. The workstation has the incorrect drivers installed D. The employee does not have the proper permissions
C. The workstation has the incorrect drivers installed
A technician is asked to install Microsoft office directly on a customer's computing device. The technician notifies the customer that office cannot be installed directly on that device. Which of the following device types does the customer have? A. Mac B. Thick client C. Thin client D. Phablet
C. Thin client
A network technician connects a tone generator to an RJ-45 drop. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for doing this? A. To validate proper wiring of the network jack B. To confirm continuity of the conductors C. To locate the position of the cable on a patch panel D. To test the transmission quality of the connection
C. To locate the position of the cable on a patch panel
Legacy software needs to be installed on a netbook. Which of the following is MOST likely needed in order to install the software? A. Lightning port B. Bluetooth adapter C. USB optical drive D. NFC chip
C. USB optical drive
A user is reporting that a desktop monitor backlighting is very dim. Which of the following should be performed FIRST when troubleshooting the problem? A. Update drivers B. Reseat the video card C. Use OSD tools D. Replace the monitor
C. Use OSD tools
Which of the following adapters converts an analog signal to a digital signal? A. S-Video to RCA B. HDMI to VGA C. VGA to DVI-D D. DVI-D to HDMI
C. VGA to DVI-D
After receiving a call from an executive, a technician walks into a meeting room to find that the projector is not showing the screen of the executive's laptop. The projector shows a message that reads "No video signal". Which of the following is the FIRST thing that the technician should do? A. Adjust the laptop's screen brightness B. Replace the projector's bulb C. Verify the VGA cable is connected D. Ensure secondary display is enabled
C. Verify the VGA cable is connected
A printer on the second floor is not printing for anyone. However, the printer has power and displays ready on the LCD display. There is paper in the trays and the toner was recently changed. The system administrator goes to the location with a laptop and tests the network port and is able to connect. Jobs are being queued on the local machines. Which of the following should the system administrator do to get the printer functioning again? A. Move the printer to a known good port and connect to the network B. Replace the network cable to the printer C. Verify the server's print spooler service is running D. Attach the printer directly to the laptop and print a test page
C. Verify the server's print spooler service is running
A machine receives an IP address starting with 169.254.x.x when which of the following occurs? A. When the machine is using IPv6 B. When the next IP range begins with 169.253 C. When the DHCP server does not respond D. When the operating system is Unix or Linux
C. When the DHCP server does not respond
Which of the following types of cables are MOST likely to be used to connect to an external hard drive? (Select TWO). A. Molex B. SPDIF C. eSATA D. HDMI E. USB 3.0 F. CAT6e
C. eSATA E. USB 3.0
The loud clicking noise coming from a faulty hard drive is MOST likely created by: A. the coil reversing polarity in an endless loop. B. one or more bad spindle motor bearings. C. repeated motion of the read/write head armature parallel to the platter. D. the solid state read/write head scratching the platter surface.
C. repeated motion of the read/write head armature parallel to the platter.
Check Comptia Exam Test For This Simulation Q185 DRAG DROP A customer has requested two custom PCs, one for his family room and one for his home office. The family room PC will be used by all the family members and should be able to playhigh definition movies and show family pictures. The office PC is used for the customer's architectural design business and should be able to handle the intensive design work and multitasking the customer performs. The office PC must be configured with more power efficient computing than the family room PC. Instructions: Use the tabs at the top to switch between the PCs. Objects should be placed on the appropriate slot/display areas and can only be used once. All slot/display areas should be filled. Once the simulation is complete select the done button to submit. Build PCs for the Family Room and Home Office Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q185
Check Comptia for Q186 DRAG DROP You would like to build a PC for storage redundancy. Select the appropriate IDE drives and build the PC for MAXIMUM performance, while using the MINIMUM amount of drives. Instructions: Drives can be reused, but bays are only used once. Select the done button to submit your response. Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q186
Check Comptia Q190 SIMULATION Ann, a local librarian, has had a previously used wireless access point donated to her. She has instructed you to configure this new wireless access point for her public library. Ann plans to allow anyone to connect to the access point without having to ask her configuration information. Additionally, Ann knows that her neighbors have wireless networks and wants to ensure that her network does not interfered with the other networks. Ann has provided you with the following information. Wireless Name: Library New Router Password: Secure$1 Instructions: Select the Public Library in the diagram to configure the wireless network. Once the wireless network tabs are configured, select the save button. When you have completed simulation, please select the Done button to submit.
Check Comptia Q190
Check Comptia Q218 DRAG DROP Place the appropriate token next to each graphic.
Check Comptia Q218
Check Comptia Q219 DRAG DROP Place the appropriate token next to each graphic. Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q219
Check Comptia Q220 DRAG DROP Drag and drop each component onto the labeled areas to label the parts of the motherboard.
Check Comptia Q220
Check Comptia Q221 DRAG DROP Drag the components from the list and place them in correct devices. Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q221
Check Comptia Q222 DRAG DROP Drag and drop the following encryption standards to the appropriate wireless standard. Tokens may be used more than once and all placeholders must be filled. Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q222
Check Comptia Q223 DRAG DROP Drag and drop the IP address next to the appropriate description. Select and Place:
Check Comptia Q223
No second screen on laptop?
Check Fn key. Laptop display blank? Check resolution settings, inverter, backlight, or damage to LCD.
Time/date resets to January 1, 2000?
Check Lithium Battery
Poor wireless signal?
Check distance, placement, antennas, and update hardware and software.
Ghosted image?
Check drum and toner cartridge.
Lines or smearing?
Check drum, primary corona wire, and replace toner cartridge.
Toner not staying on paper?
Check fusing assembly.
No network connectivitiy
Check link light, patch cable, disabled NIC, wireless switch is off, IP configuration, and Windows Network Diagnostics.
No connectivity?
Check power, network connection, whether printer is shared, proper IP address, and whether printer is set up as default in Windows.
Power is good but no display?
Check the big four: Video CPU RAM Motherboard
Blank paper?
Check toner cartridge and transfer corona wire.
What purpose does the power-on self-test (POST) program serve?
Checking your hardware to ensure that everything is present and functioning properly
Transfer Belt and Roller
Color laser printers -Cyna, yellow, magenta, black Four separate cartridges -Four separate photoreceptive drums Image is transferred from all cartridges and then to a single roller
Webcam
Connected via: USB 802.11 Usually includes both audio and video
DVD-R
Digital Video Disc-Recordable
A user has downloaded an image file and needs to install an application from the image. When trying to execute or open the file, an error is displayed. Which of the following should the user perform? A. Download a different file from the website B. Rename the extension of the file to a known extension C. Verify the MD5 hash of the downloaded file D. Mount the file as an emulated DVD
D. Mount the file as an emulated DVD
A user reports that the mouse is not working properly. The technician notices on the user's workstation that the mouse cursor spins for several minutes before the technician can use the mouse. Which of the following is the cause of the issue? A. Failed Operating System B. Faulty mouse C. Faulty CPU D. Not enough memory
D. Not enough memory
Which of the following display technologies provides the BEST range of visible colors? A. CRT B. LCD C. Plasma D. OLED
D. OLED
A technician is installing a network-enabled security system that features IP-based cameras. To access the system remotely, which of the following capabilities is MOST likely to require configuration? A. VPN passthrough B. QoS C. Static IPs D. Port forwarding
D. Port forwarding
A smartphone user experiences difficulty removing the back cover of the device. Once finally removed, the battery appears to have swollen. The battery is still functional, but requires more frequent charging than it used to. Which of the following should the user do NEXT? A. Remove the battery and let it cool for 24 hours B. Fully discharge and then fully recharge the battery C. Short the battery terminals with a paper clip D. Replace the battery with a new one
D. Replace the battery with a new one
Joe, a user, receives a wireless router from his ISP with a pre-set password and configuration. He can connect to the router fine via Ethernet but cannot see the wireless signal on any of his devices. The LEDs on the router indicate that a wireless signal is broadcasting. Which of the following settings on the router does Joe need to adjust to enable the devices to see the wireless signal? A. DHCP B. IPv6 C. DMZ D. SSID
D. SSID
A user is unable to show an Android smartphone display on a TV. Which of the following settings should the technician check to resolve this issue? A. Multi-window B. Air view C. Air browse D. Screen mirroring
D. Screen mirroring
A client, Ann, is having issues with a PC shutting down. There are no error messages displayed before the system powers off. Ann reports that this started after she installed and began using CAD software. The hard drive, video card, and RAM all meet the software requirements and have passed diagnostics. Which of the following is MOST likely the issue? A. The video card has 3D acceleration disabled. B. The hard drive is IDE instead of SATA. C. The hard drive needs to be repartitioned. D. The PSU is underpowered for the system.
D. The PSU is underpowered for the system.
A technician replaces a failed hard drive with a brand new one. The technician boots from a PE CD and attempts to install a custom OS build deployed from the network. The hard drive is visible in the system's BIOS. However, once in the preinstallation environment, the drive is not recognized in the imaging process and the process fails. Which of the following is MOST likely the cause of failure? A. The boot CD has failed and needs to be replaced. B. The hard drive needs to have its configuration manually defined in the BIOS. C. The PC's power supply is not providing enough power to the new hard drive. D. The hard drive has not been partitioned correctly.
D. The hard drive has not been partitioned correctly
Ann, a user, reports her docked mobile workstation will periodically lose her network share drive and lose video to the second monitor. Which of the following is MOST likely the cause of this anomaly? A. The workstation battery needs to be replaced. B. The NIC is functioning intermittently. C. Failed driver updates for the workstation's devices. D. The surge protector lost AC power.
D. The surge protector lost AC power.
Which of the following expansion ports would be used to enable transfer of power, data, and video to peripheral devices on an Apple computer? A. HDMI Video B. Lightning C. USB 2.0 D. Thunderbolt
D. Thunderbolt
The technician is troubleshooting a connection issue between the switch and the wall jack. The user is plugged into the jack; however, there is no connection. The technician goes into the switch room to see if the cable is plugged into the switch, but none of the cables are labeled. Which of the following tools would the technician MOST likely use to find this cable? A. WiFi analyzer B. Loopback plug C. Multimeter D. Tone generator
D. Tone generator
A user has reported that the company notebook is performing some random mouse actions requiring the user to make a lot of typing corrections. How can the technician solve the issue for the user? A. Adjust the mouse settings so the mouse moves slower B. Reverse the buttons on the mouse pad C. Adjust the mouse settings so the mouse moves faster D. Use the function keys to disable the mouse pad
D. Use the function keys to disable the mouse pad
A video projector shows the image from a laptop, but everything is colored blue. Which of the following is the MOST likely the cause? A. Dead pixels B. Video resolution C. Failing lamp D. VGA connection
D. VGA connection
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company has requested outside access to a server within the company network so that sensitive documents can be worked on from home. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate tool to give the CEO the requested access? A. VNC B. Port forwarding C. Port triggering D. VPN
D. VPN
A customer asks a technician to upgrade a desktop computer to support the DVI-D interface. Which of the following PC expansion cards would the technician upgrade? A. FireWire card B. Network card C. Thunderbolt card D. Video card E. Sound card
D. Video Card
A user reports an inkjet printer is constantly feeding two sheets of paper for every page printed. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason? A. Poor paper quality B. Incorrect paper size C. Defective duplexer D. Worn feed rollers
D. Worn feed rollers
The contrast ratio for an LCD monitor is BEST defined as the ratio between: A. display resolution and brightness. B. power consumption and output intensity. C. power savings of a comparable CRT monitor and the LCD. D. the darkest and lightest displayed output.
D. the darkest and lightest displayed output.
___________ is an area of network for serves, not within LAN but between it and the internet. Connects by third leg of firewall.
DMZ
Domain Name System
DNS Translates readable names into computer readable IP addresses. -e.g., google.com translates to something else Distributed database -Many DNS servers -13 root server clusters IP addresses of DNS servers is provided by the network admin
DVD-ROM
DVDs have a capacity ranging from 4.7 GB (DVD05) to 17 GB. (DVD-18 dual-sided and dual layered). Recording technologies include DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, and DVD-RW.
DVI to HDMI
DVI and HDMI are electrically compatible No signal conversion required No loss of video quality
DVI to VGA
DVI-A includes analog signals Backwards compatible with VGA -Only 640 x 480 resolution supported -May only need an adapter VGA to DVI Digital will need a converter
Standard Thick Client
Desktop Applications -Exectuable programs running in local memory and using local CPU -Meets recommended requirements for running the OS
Laser Printer Calibration
Different toner cartridges print with different densities -Some dark, some light
DLP
Digital Light Processing
DRM
Digital Rights Management
DRM
Digital Rights Management -Control over digital media Associated with every media type May be controlled via software or hardware, E.G. USB key or passphrase Every application is different.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
DVD
Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc
DVD-RAM
Digital Video Disc-Random-Access Memory
DVD-ROM
Digital Video Disc-Read-Only Memory
DMA
Direct Memory Access
________________ is double width, 128-bit bus.
Dual Channel
DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module
A technician cannot communicate with one particular IP address and needs to narrow down where the traffic is stopping. Which of the following commands would be used to determine this? A. nslookup B. ipconfig C. nbtstat D. ping E. tracert
E. Tracert
ECC
Error Correcting Code or Error Checking and Correction
Types of hard drives:
HDD SSD Sata HHD
Intel LGA 775
Has 775 pins, Land Grid Array Pins are on the Motherboard Socket T -Named after Tejas Core Circa 2004 -Seen in Pentium 4, Core 2 Duo, Celeron -DDR2 and DDR3
Data Transfer Speeds
How quickly can data get from A to B Rarely straightforward -Bytes used by storage device -Bits transmitted across the medium -Two COMPLETELY different things SATA Storage -Uses 8b/10b signaling - it takes 10 bits across the wire to make 8 bits -SATA revision 3.0 wire communciation is 6 Gbit/s, or 750MB/s -Actual data transfer to storage is 600 MB/s because of the 8b/10b signal
HTTP =
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Port 80
HTTPS
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Over
HTTPS
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure Port 443
Configuring DHCP
IP configuration used to be static -Had to input all addresses by hand DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol -Auto assigns the addresses
IPS LCD
In Plane Switching LCD Excellent color representation -No tailing when touched (Mobile devices) More expensive than TN LCD
APIPA?
Ipconfig/rease and /renewl check DHCP server.
Common Windows networking command-line tools
Ipconfig: Displays current TCP/IP netowrk configuration values; Ipconfig/all shows additional information such as MAC address. Ping: Tests whether another host is available over the network (example: ping 192.118.1.1). Ping 127.0.0.1 or ping ::2 to test the local computer. Ping -t is continuous, ping -n is a set of pings. ping -1 changes the size of each ping. ping -a resolves IP address to host name.
20 pin and 24 pin Motherboard Power
Main Motherboard Power -Provides + 3.3V, +5 V, +/-12 V 20 pin connector was the original standard -24 pin was added for PCI Express power You can connect a 24-pin connector to a 20- pin motherboard if the cable is 20-pin + 4 pin
MP3
Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 3 Audio
MP4
Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 4
dB Loss Symptoms
No connectivity or signal Intermittent connectivity Poor performance -Signal too weak -CRC errors, data corruption Test each connection
Virtual Printers
No physical output -Outputs to a "digital" document No extra hardware required Useful for sending electronically Print to File -Print to work printer driver but save as a file File output will be in a specific program Must use the command line to copy the file to the printer -i.e. copy filename LPT1
Feed Rollers
Pick up and feed paper through InkJet Printers Duplexing function included with some printers
PGA
Pin Grid Array
PGA2
Pin Grid Array 2
PPP
Point-to-Point Protocol
PPTP
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
_________ _______ forwards an external network port to an internal IP address and port.
Port forwarding
Print to Image
Print to a graphics image -Take the output and put into a graphic format. Not Integrated into the OS -A feature of an application
Steps in Printing
Processing: Constructing the image to be printed in the printer memory. Charging: A wire inside the printer sets a negative electrical charge to the photosensitive drum. Exposing: Writes the image to the paper with a laser Developing: Add toner to the photosensitive drum and adds a negative charge. Transferring: Toner is being placed onto the paper as is passes photosensitive drum Fusing: Melt the toner onto the page itself Cleaning: Removes excess ink from the photosensitive drum
ROM
Read-only memory - Cannot write to media
RTC
Real-Time Clock
File recovery software
Recover deleted files, lost files • Recover from disk, USB flash, memory card
RISC
Reduced Instruction Set Computer
RAID
Redundant Array of Independent
RAID
Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks.
RAID stands for _____________
Redundant Array of Independent Disks
Which of the following is NOT among the capabilities of the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) settings?
Reformatting a hard drive
RJ-11
Registered Jack Function 11
RJ-45
Registered Jack Function 45
RDP =
Remote Desktop Protocol
RDP
Remote Desktop Protocol Port 3389
RIS
Remote Installation Service
what protocol allows a user to operate a windows computer from a remote loction as if they were actually in front of it?
Remote desktop protocol(RDP)
Clearing Jams (InkJet)
Remove all paper from the trays Remove paper from the path -Once done, check for scraps
____________ connect two or more LANs and connect LANs to the internet.
Routers
RIP
Routing Information Protocol
SSH =
Secure Shell
SSH
Secure Shell Port 22
Tracert:
Sends packets to test destinations beyond the local computer's network.
SATA
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
Nbtstat:
Shows the network statistics that use NetBIOS over TCP/IP connections. Show core services running on local or remote machines.
SOHO
Small office - Home office Multifunction devices -Printer -Scanner -Fax -Network connection -Phone Line connection -Print from web
what type of internal memory is used specifically by laptops?
Small outline dual in line memory module (SODIMM)
which type of random-access memory (RAM) do you find in laptops and in iMac computers?
Small outline dual-in-line memory module (SODIMM)
what is SDRAM?
Synchronized dynamic random access memory.
CPU
The Central Processing unit or processor take care of most calculations. Intel CPUs use LGA775, 1150, 1155, 1156, 1366, and 2011 sockets. AMD CPUs use AM3, AM3+, FM1, FM2, and FM2 + sockets. L1/L2 cache in each core. L3 cache is shared among entire CPU. Thermal compound (paste) is required whenever heat sink is installed. Heat sinks are either active (with powered fan) or passive (without). Liquid-based cooling systems can dissipate heat very efficiently.
Frequencies
The number of cycles in a second (hertz) -Faster speeds use faster frequencies Category 5 Cable - certified to 125 MHz -1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet codes two bits per signal -Uses four pair simultaneously -125 MHz x 2 bits per signal x 4 pair = 1,000 Mbps 802.11 Wireless -2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies Optical -Represented as a wavelength (EX. 850 nm)
Even Parity
The parity bit is dynamic to make an even number out of the total number of bits
what tern refers to the reduction in signal strength over the distance of a cabling?
attenuation
DDR (Double Data Rate SDRAM)
Twice the data rate of SDRAM
_______ enables network-ready devices to discover each other automatically.
UPnP
Wired Device Sharing
USB Type B -Most common connector -USB Type B on the printer, Type A on the computer Parallel -Legacy systems -Centronics interface on the printer -DB-25 on the computer Ethernet - RJ45 connector Bluetooth 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac -Infrastructure mode -Many devices using an access point 802.11 Ad hoc mode -No access point Direct link between wireless devices
Motion Sensor
USB connected
Gaming Input
USB connected Used exclusively for games
Mouse
USB connection Optical mice have few moving parts May need right surface, glass may be a problem
how can you identify the universal serial bus header on a motherboard?
USB headers will have one pin missing from the second row on the end.
UPnP
Universal Plug and Play: Enables network-ready devices to discover each other automatically.
USB
Universal Serial Bus Can have up to 127 devices. version 3.x ports are blue. Type A/Type B connectors are used by desktops/laptops, mini- and micro-connectors are used by tablets/smartphones, etc. Type C: one-third size of a Type A plug; pairs well with USB 3.1 standard.
UPnP =
Universal plug and Play
what built in feature of a wireless router enables WIFI enabled devices to be easily discoverable by the router?
Universal plug and play (UPNP)
__________ connect to motherboards by way of x16 PCIe or PCI(uncommon) expansion slots.
Video Cards
VGA
Video Graphics Array
Netdom:
Used to control active directory, add hosts to domain, etc.
Nslookup:
Used to query DNS servers to find out DNS details, including the IP address of hosts.
UDP
User Datagram Protocol
UDP
User Datagram Protocol -Connectionless -Unreliable, no checks on delivery No reordering or retransmissions
UDF
User Defined Functions or Universal Disk Format or Universal Data Format
VGA
Video Graphics Array DB-15 Connector -More accurately DE-15 -Actually a size E Blue Color Standard Analog Signal -No digital -Image degrades after 5-10 meters Also called HD-15 or HD15
Extended
User Interface
USMT
User State Migration Tool
Printer Data Privacy
User authentication -Everyone can print -Set Rights and permissions -Printing vs managing the printer Print and Scan Caching -Click print -Local system creates a file of the output -Output file is sent to the print server spooler -Printing is done from the spool file Spool file is usually deleted when done
VRAM
Video Random-Access Memory
Camcorder
Video and Audio content All digital systems Connectivity -USB -FireWire -82.11 Wireless -Memory Cards -HDMI
DisplayPort
VESA standard -Video Electronics Standards Association -Royalty free standard Data is sent in a packetized form, similar to Ethernet and PCI Express Compatible with HDMI and DVI -Passive adapter available
Thunderbolt
Ver 1 = 10 Gb/s and uses Display port Ver 2 = 20 Gb/s (Also uses Display port) Ver 3 = 40 Gb/s and uses USB Type C
Check _______ _______ _______ and ______ when there is power but no display.
Video CPU RAM the motherboard
VFAT
Virtual File Allocation Table
VM
Virtual Machine
___________ will hold the data as long as it has a power source but will be cleared if the power source is disconnected. Also called temporary memory.
Volatile memory
Dual-Voltage Options
Voltage varies by country -US/Canada - 110 -120 volts VAC, 60 Hz -Europe - 220 - 240 VAC, 5- Hz Don't plug a 115 V power supply into a 230 V power source!!
a network connects a company branch in the united states to another branch in Germany. what type of network would best describe this?
WAN
which form of wireless encryption introduced the temporal key integrity protocol(TKIP) security protocol?
WIFI protocol Access(WPA)
ZIP
Zig-zag Inline Package
what networking device is software based and makes decisions about whether to forward a packet based on whether the destination is part of the same LAN or another LAN?
a bridge
in which type of network model are file and authentication services centrally managed?
a client-server model
what is the most accurate description of an F-connector?
a coaxial connector used to connect cable TV and FM antenna cables
which type of user would benefit most from an auto-switching power supply for a laptop?
a user who travels to many countries with different outlet types
what is another name for the north and south bridge?
chipset
in which type of internet access delivery does the speed of the network depend on the collective activity of the users sharing the same node connected to the internet service provider(ISP)
cable
what piece of equipment serves as an interface for an internet service provider(ISP) to provide high speed internet access to a residential home?
cable modem
which electrical instrument is used to determine if a signal is present on a network cable?
cable tester
IEEE 1394 CHAINS
can have up to 63 devices.
the cpu uses what to move data from all the devices on the PC?
data bus
which of the following is unlikely to be displayed within typical system firmware monitoring capabilities?
device drivers
the north bridge gives the cpu access to what?
high-speed interfaces, like the video card and the ram
where can you change the sequence of POST?
in the system BIOS.
why is wired equivalent privacy(WEP) no longer recommended as a wireless security method on a router?
is uses static encryption keys, which can easily be cracked by eavesdropping attackers
what does a proxy sever do?
it acts as an intermediary for requests for resources
what is the purpose of implementing client-side domain name systems(DNS) configuration?
it allows the client to resolve cached host names without connecting to a server.
what is the defining quality of an integrated services for digital network(ISDN) connection?
it carries both voice and data over digital phone lines or public switched telephone network(PSTN) wires.
what is a defining quality of step index multi-mode fiber?
it contains a core surrounded by cladding, and uses total internal reflection to trap light.
what is the significance of the fourth pin on the KK molex fan connector?
it controls the fan speed
what does the post office protocol 3 (POP3) protocol do?
it enables an email client application to retrieve email messages from a mailbox on a mail server.
which service is enabled via a registered port rather than a well known port?
remote desktop protocol(RDP) port 3389
a server operates correctly, except that each time it boots, you have to manually reset the system time in the basic input/output system(BIOS). how do you fix the system time?
replace the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) battery
what is the defining quality of a peer-to-peer network?
resource sharing and communications control are completely decentralized.
in which type of fiber optic cable does a laser modulated in amplitude transmit the signal through the fiber?
single mode fiber
when running two different speeds of RAM the system will do what?
slow the faster RAM down to be inline with the slower RAM
where can you find out how much RAM you have in your system?
system applet
what happens when a system detects an error during transmission of data and the RAM is using Parity?
system will try transmission again after discarding the data.
FTP
tcp/20, tcp21 File Transfer Protocol Sends and receives files between systems
SSH
tcp/22 Secure Shell Encrypted remote console login
Telnet
tcp/23 Telecommunication Network Insecure console access
SMTP
tcp/25 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Transfer email between mail servers
HTTPS
tcp/443 Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure Webserver communication with encryption
HTTP
tcp/80 Hypertext transfer Protocol Web server communication
what is the first thing to check if you turn on a computer and it does not power up?
the power supply cable
what is the major limitation of the 802.11a standard?
the signal range
motherboard form factor refers to what?
the size and shape of the motherboard
what is the key characteristic that differentiates the expresscard/34 and the expresscard/54?
the size of the card
what type of laptop hard drive has no moving parts?
the solid state drive
what are ECC RAM used for?
when transmission error would have a particularly critical impact on data integrity.
what is the most likely use of a webcam?
when using a msg program that is allows video chat
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
• BRI - Basic Rate Interface (2B+D) • Two 64 kbit/s bearer (B) channels • One 16 kbit/s signaling (D) channel • PRI - Primary Rate Interface • T1 - 23B + D, E1 - 30B + D + alarm channel
Garbled output
• Bad printer driver (PCL vs. PostScript) • The application may be sending bad data • Confirm the printer health with an on-printer test page
Short battery life Mobile Devices
• Bad reception • Disable unnecessary features - 802.11 wireless, Bluetooth, GPS • Check application battery usage • Replace aging battery
Battery not charging laptop
• Battery may be too old to maintain a charge • The charging hardware could be faulty • Check the battery voltage with a multimeter
Fixing the Volume Boot Record
• Boot from the installation media • Start the Windows Command Prompt •BOOTREC /fixboot • Writes a new boot sector
Fixing the Master Boot Record
• Boot from the installation media • Start the Windows Command Prompt •BOOTREC /fixmbr • Fix the Master Boot Record on a physical drive
Boot loaders
• Bootstrap loader in the BIOS • Second-stage boot loader - Winload, GRUB, LILO
Wireless access point (WAP)
• Bridges from wired network to wireless • Makes forwarding decisions based on MAC address
Switch
• Bridging done in hardware • Forwards traffic based on data link address
Swollen battery
• Buildup of gas - do NOT open the container • Faulty battery - stop using immediately • Dispose of properly • Device can be damaged - better than having a fire
Unexpected shutdowns
• Check all fans and heat sinks • Check Device Manager for failing hardware symptoms • Eliminate what's working
Intermittent device failure
• Check and reseat, may be bad hardware
No network connectivity
• Check for link light • Ping loopback (127.0.0.1) • Ping local IP address • Ping default gateway • Ping devices on router's other side
Intermittent connectivity
• Check the system tray for broken LAN icons or messages • May be a problem with the switch or wireless access point
No sound from speakers Mobile Devices
• Check volume settings - both app and phone settings • Bad software / delete and reload • Try headphones
Sound starts but then stops Mobile Devices
• Dueling apps • Keep app in foreground
DIMM (Dual lnline Memory Module)
• Electrical contacts are different on each side • SDRAM - 168 pins • DDR SDRAM - 184 pins • DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM - 240 pins
Smoke and burning smell
• Electrical problems (Always disconnect power!) • Locate and replace bad components
Copper line drivers and extenders
• Extend the range of copper wire • Used with serial links, copper Ethernet • Powered device, regenerates the signal
Printer spooler
• Manages printing in the background • Runs as a Windows service • May need to restart after a crash
Device disassembly
• Many different pieces, intricately engineered • Taking it apart is easy, getting it back together... • Easy to break something - very delicate parts
DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
• Max distance isn't part of the standard • 15 feet at 1920 x 1200 resolution
PLC (Power Line Communication)
• May be marketed as Ethernet over Power (EOP) • 500 megabits per second
Multimeter
• Measures voltage, current, resistance • Check AC/DC voltage, cable continuity
Print to XPS
• Microsoft XML Paper Specification • Similar use case to Adobe PDF • Print to XPS, view in any operating system
RAID failures
• Missing or faulty RAID controller • Each RAID is different • Don't start pulling drives until you check the console!
Tone generator and probe
• Find a specific wire • 2 pieces; tone generator and inductive probe
Impact Printer Maintenance Print Head Replacement
• Gets very hot during use • Another modular part, look for release bar • Consider replacing both head and ribbon simultaneously for best effect
Single Sided vs. Double Sided Memory
• Groups of memory on a module that can be independently accessed • Memory controller moves between the ranks/sides
Overheating
• Heat generated from CPUs, video adapters, memory • Check cooling fans and heat sinks • Verify temperatures with monitoring software
Bluetooth
• High speed communication over short distances • PAN (Personal Area Network) • Connects our mobile devices
Document and label
• Identify cable locations - many different cables • Document screw locations - many screws in many locations
Upgrading your BIOS firmware
• Identify current firmware version • Read the upgrade documentation • Have a reliable power source
Low RF wireless signal
• Interference - Something else is using our frequency • Signal strength - Check the signal and antenna locations • Incorrect channel - Usually automatic, try tuning manually • Bounce and latency - Multipath interference; flat surfaces • Incorrect access point placement - Locate close to the users
Flickering video loptops
• Laptop LCDs are always opening and closing • Connector issue, bad video cable or hardware
Organize parts
• Laptops disassemble in sections • Take pictures, and use a big workspace • Use containers to separate the sections
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)
• Legacy expansion slots - Speeds from 133 MB/s to 533 MB/s
No speaker sound from any app Mobile Devices
• Load latest software • Factory reset
LAN
• Local Area Network • A building or group of buildings
Loud noises
• Loose components can rattle • Hard drive scraping noises and clicking • Check fans for obstructions • Blown capacitor
Color prints in wrong color
• Low ink in one cartridge • Other colors should print normally
USB 1.1
• Low speed: 1.5 megabits per second, 3 meters • Full speed: 12 megabits per second, 5 meters
Faded prints
• Low toner and low ink • Poor quality toner or ink
SRAM (Static RAM)
• Maintains data without constant refreshing • Very fast, very expensive • Often used in processor caches
Status light indicators
• Seen often on network devices • Power, link, speed, activity
S.M.A.R.T. Errors
• Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology • Avoid hardware failure, look for the warning signs • Schedule periodic disk checks
Impact Printer Maintenance Printer Ribbon Replacement
• Self-contained cartridge • Replace when output is faded • Modular design, replace in a few minutes
Digital modulation
• Send a digital bitstream over an analog channel • Send digital audio signal over satellite radio frequencies
Wireless locator
• Software or hardware analyzers • Identify all wireless networks • View configuration, channel, frequency settings
Toner vacuum
• Specialized vacuum - low static, filtered for toner • Use damp cloth on the outside • Wipe dust away on the inside • Don't use a traditional vacuum cleaner
Input issues laptop
• Sticky keys require a cleaning - be careful, keycaps are delicate! • Inadvertent mousepad touches cause cursor to jump around • Updated drivers may help • Laptops Num lock changes the keyboard from letters to numbers
USB 3.0
• SuperSpeed: 5 gigabits per second, 3 meters
SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
• Synchronous with the common system clock
POST (Power On Self Test)
• Tests system components before starting the OS • Failures are noted with beeps and/or codes • Every manufacturer uses different codes
The spinning ball of death
• The Mac OS X Spinning Wait Cursor • Application bug, bad hardware, slow paging to disk
Hotspot / tethering
• Turn your phone into a WiFi hotspot • Dependent on phone type and provider • May require additional charges and data costs
UEFI BIOS
• Unified Extensible Firmware Interface • Based on Intel's EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) • Designed to replace the legacy BIOS • Boot from large (> 2.2 TB) GUID partition table (GPT) disks
Video artifacts
• Unusual graphics • Check adapter • Image persistance • Turn off display • Motion trails • Disable advanced video features
BSOD and overheating
• Update video drivers • Monitor the PC's internal temperature
BIOS Configurations
• Use BIOS configuration key during startup • Configure and enable/disable components • May include built-in hardware diagnostics • Always have a backup before making changes
Thermal Printer Maintenance Cleaning the Heating Element
• Use an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) cleaning pen • Follow printer manufacturer recommendations • Usually a small area • Cleaning cards can be used for the paper path
Loopback plug
• Used for diagnostics and troubleshooting • Is a received signal is the same as the sent signal? • Useful for testing physical ports • Serial / RS-232 (9 pin or 25 pin) • Network connections - Ethernet, T1, fiber
Laser Printer
• Uses heat and pressure to melt toner pellets onto the page + Very high quality + Fast printing speeds - Many moving parts - Requires memory in the printer - Requires high voltages
IP conflicts
• Windows will identify a duplicate • Two identical IP addresses will conflict • Reboot or reset the network adapter
Writing to Optical Media
"Burners" darken photosensitive dye Compact Disc ReWritable (CD-RW) DVD Read and Rewritable (DVD-R/RW) Blu-ray Disc Recordable (BD-R) Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable (BD-RE)
Blu-ray Disc
-25 GB for single layer -50 GB for dual-layer
Intel LGA 1150
1,150 pins, LGA package Socket H3 Released in 2013 -Used for Haswell and Broadwell microarchitecture DDR3 Dual Channel
Intel LGA 1,155
1,155 pins, LGA Package Called Socket H2 2011 release Supports Sandy Bridge and IVY microprocessors DDR3 Dual Channel
Intel LGA 1156
1,156, LGA package Called Socket H or H1 Released in 2009 Integrated Northbridge onto the Chipset DDR3 Dual Channel
Intel LGA 1366
1366, Land Grid Array Also called Socket B Replaced LGA 755 Circa 2008 -Used by Core i7 processors -DDR3 Triple Channel
Clock speed of Bus
1MHz = 1 million cycles per second 1GHz = 1000 MHz Clock speed does not equal transfer rate. DDR3 SDRAM can transfer 64 times the memory clock speed
Intel LGA 2011
2,011 pins, LGA package Socket R -Replaced the LGA 1366 and the LGA 1567 -Released in Nov, 2011 -High end desktop and server use -Sandy Bridge-E/EP and Ivy Bridge E-EP (Enthusiast and Xeon class) DDR3/DDR4 Quad Channel
AMD FM2 Socket
904 pins -PGA-ZIF package Sept 2012 Release "Piledriver" CPU architecture Similar to FM1 - one pin difference DDR3 Dual Channel
AMD Socket FM1
905 pins -PGA-ZIF package -2011 Release -"AMD 10h" CPU architecture AMD A-series processors -Faster speed -DDR3 support -Integrated PCIe 2.0 controller AMD 10h CPU support DDR3 Dual Channel
AMD Socket FM2+
906 pins -Micro PGA-ZIF package -Called Socket FM2b -Two more pins than FM2 "Steamroller" CPU architecture Released January 2014 DDR3 Dual Channel
AMD Socket AM3
941 pins on socket -PGA-ZIF package -Released in 2009 -Replaces the AM2/AM2+ -Could be used in Socket AM2/AM2+ with BIOS update Athlon II/ Phenom II DDR2/DDR3 Dual Channel
AMD Socket AM3+
942 pin socket -PGA-ZIF package -Replaces the AM3 -Released in 2011 -You can use an AM3 processor in an AM3+ Motherboard ---Not backwards compatible Athlon II/ Phenom II DDR3 Dual Channel
ATX Form Factor
Advanced Technology Extended Power - Either 20 or 24 pins, additional 4/8 pin connector
Audio Ports
Analog TRS plug (Tip, Ring and Sleeve) -6.35 mm (1/4") TRS Plug -3.5 mm (1/8") TRS Plug Digital -TOSLINK (Toshiba Link) -Optical Fiber -Created in 1993 Max length ~10 meters
RJ11
Analog Modem, DSL line Registered Jack 11 -Usually telephone connection 6P2C connector -6 position, 2 conductor Some RJ standards use the same physical interface -Different wiring, 6P4C, 6P6C, etc
IEEE 1394/ FireWire
Apple trademarked the phrase FireWire Daisy chain up to 63 devices 4.5 (15ft) meters distance per link -IEEE 1394, i.LINK, or Lynx FireWire 400 (Alpha mode) - IEEE 1394a -100, 200, or 400 Mbits/s Half duplex FireWire 800 (Beta mode) - IEEE 1394b -800 Mbit/s Full duplex -Optical Connections support 100 meter distance
Bluetooth
Categorized into Class -Class 1 - Industrial Use, 100mW, 100 meters range -Class 2 - Used in many mobile devices, 2.5 mW, 10 meters -Class 3 - Short range use, 1 mW, 1 meter range Version 1.2 - 1995 -Faster connection and recovery -1 Mbit/s Version 2.0 + EDR ( and 2.1 + EDR) -Enhanced data rate -3Mbit/s Version 3.0 + HS -High speed -24 Mbit/s -Bluetooth used to establish connection -802.11 used for the actual data transfer Version 4.0 -24 Mbit/s -Includes low power specification
32-Bit vs 64 Bit
Data "width" -Data path, integer size, memory addresses -Registers, address bus, data bus Larger Bus Sizes move more data -64 bit data bus can move twice as much as 32 bit -Bus size may not necessarily match the processor bus Software must be optimized for the 64 bit architecture, drivers, OS, etc
On-Board Fans
Designed to cool and entire adapter card. Can be bulky - high end graphics cards.
DVI
Digital Visual Interface Single and dual link connections -Single link; 3.7 Gbps (HDTV at 60 fps) -Dual link: 7.4 Gbps (HDTV at 85 fps) DVI-A -Analog signals DVI-D -Digital signals DVI-I -Integrated -Digital and analog in the same connector
Heat Sink
Dissipate heat through thermal conduction -Copper or aluminum alloy Fins/Grid increase the surface area, heat is then transferred to the air Thermal paste creates a good contact between heat sink and chip. VERY hot. Don't touch. May find a fan on top of the heat sink in order to dissipate heat even faster.
Single Sided vs Double Sided
Does not necessarily refer to physical layout
Thunderbolt
High Speed Serial Connection -Data and power on the same cable -Based on mini display port Throughput Thunderbolt v1: 10Gbit/s per channel, 20 Gbit/s total throughput Thunderbolt v2: 20 Gbit/s aggregated channels Thunderbolt v3: 40 Gbit/s -Max 3 meters (Copper) -60 meter Opticals Daisy Chain up to 6 devices
Multi-Channel Memory
Installed in pairs or trios for maximum throughput Should always match -Exact matches are best Memory modules slots are often colored differently
MicroATX
Limited Expansion Slots Similar mounting points and power as ATX
LTO
Linear Tape-Open -Ultrium form factor
Northbridge
Memory Controller Hub Connects the CPU to Memory and High Speed Graphics Card High Bandwidth Often include heatsinks or fans
NX-Bit
No Execute Bit -Intel calls it the XD bit (Execute Disable) -AMD calls it Enhanced Virus Protection Designates section of memory as executing code or data -Code can't run from protected memory locations -Prevents execution of malware or viruses The OS must support this feature Windows calls is Data Execution Prevention (DEP) Usually enabled by default
PCIe
PCI Express Replaced PCI, PCI-X, and AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Communicates serially (Single bits at a time) One, two, four, eight, sixteen, or thirty two full duplex lanes -x1, x2, x4, x7, x16, x32 -"X" is pronounced "By" Improvement with each iteration -v1.x: 250 MB/s -v2.x: 500 MB/s -v3.x: ~1 GB/S -v4.x: ~ 2 GB/s
PCI-X
PCI Extended Designed for servers Higher bandwidth Parallel Communication 1,064 MB/s throughput NOT PCI EXPRESS
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect 32 bit and 64 bit bus width Parallel communication Throughput varies by bus version -133 MB/s (32 bit at 33 MHz) -266 MB/s (32 bit at 66MHz or 64 bit at 33 MHz) -533 MB/s (64 bit at 66 MHz)
Memory
RAM is the most common (NOT storage, e.g., SSD or HDD) Data and programs can only be used when moved to RAM
ROM
Read Only Memory Can't be erased or changed -Good place for BIOS
Processor Speed
Real Speed: CPU clock -MHz or GHz Actual Speed -Combo of different factors --Clock speed, CPU Architecture, bus speed, bus width, L1 cache size, L2 cache size, operations system capabilities Clock cycles are not how to measure the speed of a computer
RAID
Redundant Array of Independent Disks -Also inexpensive
Virtualization Support
Run other operating systems on a single hardware platform Multiple OS's share same physical components Virtualization added to the processor -Hardware is faster and easier to manage -Intel Virtualization Technology (VT) -AMD Virtualization (AMD-V)
SATA
Serial AT Attachment SATA Revision 1.0 -SATA 1.5 Gbit/s, 1 meter SATA Revision 2.0 -SATA 3.0 Gbit/s, 1 meter SATA Revision 3.0 -SATA 6.0 Gbit/s, 1 meter eSATA (External SATA) -Matches the SATA version 2.0 -2 Meters