CIT 310 Midterm Chapter 3.1-3.5
You need to connect the satellite television signal to your HD 4K flat screen TV using a coaxial cable. Which of the following is the BEST type of coaxial cable to use?
RG-6
A common type of connector used to power internal computer components.
Molex
Which type of USB 3.0 connector is shown here? (wide cord with split in middle)
MicroUSB
Frequently used in modern computers to connect hard drives to the motherboard.
SATA
A clicking noise in your computer has now evolved into a grinding noise. In addition, you are beginning to see frequent error messages while running software, and your computer occasionally freezes. What is the MOST likely cause of these issues?
A failing hard drive
Match each USB connector type on the left with the image label on the right. (Not all USB connector types will be used.)
1. USB 2.0 Type-B 2. microUSB 3. miniUSB 4. USB 3.0 Micro-B
Dual-channel memory systems only theoretically double memory bandwidth. What is the bandwidth increase in actual terms?
5-15%
Which of the following BEST describes the theoretical capacity of a DDR4 standard system memory module?
512 GB
You are installing a new SATA hard drive in your Windows workstation. Which of the following connectors should you use to connect your hard drive to the motherboard?
7-pin connector
When you turn on your workstation, you immediately hear a grinding noise coming from inside the computer case. Which of the following are the MOST likely causes of this noise?
An uneven case surface that causes fan blade and motor noise. Dust buildup that needs to be cleaned.
While running a graphics editing program on your Windows workstation, a screen suddenly pops up with an error message warning. You note the error message, but the only way to continue working is to reboot your system. What is this type of error screen called?
BSoD
You have just purchased a smartphone with a USB Type-C cable connector for charging your phone. Which of the following is a USB Type-C connector? (Select one.)
Black charging cord
When booting your workstation, you hear a series of audible beeps, and the system locks up. What is the FIRST step you should take when troubleshooting this issue?
Check the motherboard documentation for POST errors.
Maintains an accurate system time and date, even when the power is off.
CMOS battery
Consider the connectors that are highlighted on the motherboard diagram. Select the CPU socket and the CPU power connector.
CPU case holder - square in middle CPU connector - 8-pin on right
A fiber optic cable consists of four basic components. Using the illustration below, match each illustration label on the left with the correct component name on the right.
Central Core - D. (first layer - center) Cladding - C (second layer) Protective Layer - B (third layer) Plastic sheath - A (outer layer)
Facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.
Chipset
While sorting through a box of cables in your storage room, you find one that matches the configuration shown in the image. Which of the following BEST describes the type of cable configuration and the purpose for which it would be used?
Crossover cable configuration used to connect computers directly to one another for networking.
Your motherboard has sockets for 184-pin DIMM RAM. Which type of RAM should you install?
DDR
Which of the following DDR memory types can be used by a triple-channel memory system? (Select two.)
DDR3 DDR4
What are the advantages of DDR4 over DDR3, assuming the same operating frequency? (Select two.)
DDR4 uses less power than DDR3. DDR4 doubles the data transfer rate of DDR3.
Which of the following memory ratings identifies the fastest memory?
DDR4-1600
The manager of the research and development team needs to make a PowerPoint presentation for her team members (with no audio). Her presentation requires her computer to be connected to a large high-definition television. You have been asked to ensure that the computer is connected and functioning properly prior to her presentation. In the process of setting up the computer, you find that the computer's video port (see image 1) is different from the port found on the TV (see image 2). Which of the following adapters MUST you use to connect the computer to the TV?
DVI-to-HDMI
You have purchased a new LED monitor for your computer. On the back of the monitor, you see the following port (pictured below). Which type of cable should you use to connect the monitor to your computer?
DisplayPort cable
You are in the process of installing a new motherboard in your workstation. You have already installed the CPU, heat sink, and memory. You have inserted the I/O shield into the case, fastened the standoffs to the case, and attached the motherboard to the standoffs. You are now ready to complete the installation. Drag each remaining step on the left to the right in the appropriate order that you need to complete them.
First - Connect the power and accessory cables. Second - Connect your drives to the SATA connectors. Third - Install additional devices in the expansion slots. Fourth - Connect the wires for the front/top panel ports. Last - Document the settings of the new motherboard.
Contains firmware that is used to configure motherboard settings and initialize devices.
Flash memory
Your server runs in quadruple-channel memory mode. How many memory controllers are being used?
Four
What is a major benefit STP provides that UTP does not?
Greater resistance to interference
The CEO of your small company has asked you to connect a laptop computer to the small conference room LED TV. The CEO will be showing a promotional video that demonstrates the new company strategy through images and sound. Which of the following cable types would work BEST for connecting the laptop to the display?
HDMI
Include components such as USB ports, audio jacks, and an ethernet port.
I/O connectors
An older technology where the cable connects to the motherboard and two devices.
IDE
Which of the following are advantages of using fiber optic cabling for a network, as opposed to other types of cabling? (Select two.)
Immunity to EMI Greater cable distances without a repeater
The illustration below lists four different cable types. Using the illustration, match each illustration label on the left with the correct cable type on the right.
MT-RJ connector - D. (black and red wire) ST connector - B. (red and metal wire) LC connector - C. (yellow and white wire) SC connector - A. (tan and black cord)
A customer needs to use several applications. Currently, the computer cannot keep all the necessary applications open at the same time. Which of the following components should you consider upgrading?
Memory
You decided to upgrade your PC with a faster processor. To do this, you ordered a new motherboard over the internet that supports the processor that you want to use. When the motherboard arrives, you discover that the motherboard uses the Micro-ATX form factor. Your current case is an ATX mid-tower with a standard ATX motherboard inside. Which steps must you take for the Micro-ATX motherboard to work in the ATX case?
No additional steps are necessary. You can install the Micro-ATX motherboard in the ATX case.
Often called an expansion slots, they allow you to add cards to expand computer capabilities.
PCI slots
While sorting through a box of cables in your storage room, you find one that matches the configuration shown in the image. Which of the following BEST describes the type of cable configuration and the purpose for which it would be used?
Patch (or straight-though) cable configuration used to connect computers to network devices, such as switches and hubs. (tight in the middle)
Which pin on the power supply connector connects to the power good wire on the motherboard in order to indicate an appropriate action for the motherboard if the power disappears, quickly reappears, or does not appear at all?
Pin 8
A technician is running a network above a dropped ceiling that is also used for ventilation. The cable must be twisted pair and must be capable of Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Which of the following cables should the technician use?
Plenum-rated Cat 6a
While performing data entry on your Windows 11 laptop, your screen suddenly goes black. What can you do immediately to troubleshoot the issue without losing any data that you have entered?
Press the Windows key + P four times
A technician is installing a cable modem that supplies internet connectivity for a home office. Which of the following cabling types would they use to connect the cable modem to the wall outlet?
RG-6
An employee calls to complain that their computer is behaving erratically. Some days, it functions correctly, and other days, it crashes frequently. Sometimes, the system won't boot at all. You open the system case and notice the following: - Two of the mounting screws are missing from the system hard disk drive. - The system uses memory modules from several different manufacturers with mismatched capacities. - Several capacitors on the motherboard are bulging and have a brown liquid oozing from them. - The chassis fan on the front of the case is oriented to blow air into the system. What should you do?
Replace the motherboard
Usually found only in high-end servers, mainframe computers, and RAID storage devices.
SCSI
When playing videos games or watching movies on your workstation, the screen sometimes freezes and displays strange colors. You suspect that your video card is causing the issues. What is the BEST solution to resolve your display issues?
Replace the video card.
A point-to-point interface typically found in enterprise-level storage systems, like RAID and tape drives.
SAS
The image below illustrates the four common external cable types for hard drives. Each type is identified by a number. Drag each cable type number on the left to the appropriate cable type title on the right.
SCSI - 2 eSATA - 1 iSCSI - 4 SAS - 3
After arriving at work, you turn on your computer to begin your day. Instantly, you see smoke and smell a strange odor coming from the computer. Which of the following would be the MOST important action to take first?
Shut off the system immediately
You are in the process of installing a motherboard in a system case. Which of the following objects should you place between the motherboard and the system case?
Standoffs
Susan works in the research and development department. She recently purchased a large high-speed external drive and has attached the drive to her computer using a USB cable. Her drive requires a minimum data transfer speed of 5 Gbps and needs to have access to 600 mA/15 volts of USB power to function properly. Although the correct drivers are installed, when she plugs her drive into her workstation, the drive is not working. To troubleshoot the problem, she has connected her drive to her coworker's computer, where the drive functions properly. No additional cables are required for this drive. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason that Susan's external hard drive is not working?
Susan has connected her drive to a USB 2.0 port, which does not have the required data transfer speed.
You have just finished replacing the motherboard in your friend Ethan's computer with the same type of motherboard that the computer had originally. You tested the motherboard by powering it on and by verifying that the operating system started and that the applications work. Now Ethan is complaining that his computer no longer recognizes his external hard drive, which he had connected to the previous motherboard. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the external hard drive not to function?
The USB front panel connector was not properly connected.
Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of the north bridge chipset?
The chip that controls the PCI bus.
When you try to boot your computer, it hangs after POST. When you access the UEFI setup program, you see that the date is several years behind, and the time is set to 12:01 a.m. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this behavior?
The motherboard battery has failed.
Which of the following situations is MOST likely to justify an investment in a Cat 6a cable instead of a Cat 6 cable?
The work area has a lot of electromagnetic interference (EMI).
A laptop that you previously purchased was shipped with SO-DIMM memory to accommodate the laptop's form factor. You would now like to upgrade the memory. Which of the following is an upgrade to the SO-DIMM standard?
UniDIMM
You work as the IT administrator for a small corporate network. One of the company employees needs to add an additional PCI card to the motherboard. When you open the computer, you see that the card that you purchased does not fit due to the card's height. Which of the following is the BEST method for using the newly purchased card?
Use a riser card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard.
Consider the memory modules shown in the image below. Drag each label on the left and drop it on the letter on the right that best identifies the associated memory module form.
a. DDR DIMM b. DDR3 DIMM c. DDR4 DIMM d. DDR2 DIMM e. 200-pin SO-DIMM f. 144-pin SO-DIMM g. UniDIMM
Consider the external ports for a typical PC system (pictured below). Drag each port type on the left to the letter on the right that best identifies the port. (Each type can be used only once.)
a. HDMI b. thunderbolt c. IEEE 1394 d. USB e. VGA f. DVI g. Rj45 h. Rj11 i. Fiber S/PDIF j. Audio jack
Use the diagram above to match each case type label on the left with its corresponding case, identified by letters on the right.
a. Mini-ITX tower b.Micro-ATX slim tower c. Micro-ATX tower d. ATX mid tower e. ATX full tower
Consider the following diagram of a typical motherboard. Drag each label on the left to the letter on the right that best identifies the associated connector.
a. PCI b. PCIe x16 c. PCIe x1 d. Case fan power e. CPU power f. CPU g. Memory h. Power supply i. SATA j. Front/top panel k. USB l. IEEE 1394
Allow components such as LED lights and fans to be plugged in.
internal connectors
