Personal computer hardware- Midterm exam
Leroy buys three identical 2 TB SSDs to implement a fault tolerant RAID configuration. He configures RAID 1 using the three disks, and later discover that the total storage is only 2 TB. What alternative, if any, does Leroy have?
Implement RAID 5
You notice that your computer is running slow and decide to reboot the computer to see if that will fix the problem. During the reboot, you notice that the amount of RAM shown during the RAM count is not the same as it was the day before. What might cause this problem?
RAM module has become unseated.
A software development firm needs to test a high-end application on a system with a family of 64-core AMD processors. Which processor will meet their needs?
Ryzen Threadripper
Jenny is working on a laptop computer and notices that the computer is not running very fast. She looks and realizes that the laptop supports 8GB of RAM and that the computer is running only 4GB of RAM. Jenny would like to add four more gigabits of RAM. She opens the computer and finds that there is an open slot for RAM. She checks the other module and determines that the module has 204 pins. What module should Jenny order?
SO-DIMM DDR3
You are troubleshooting a mobile device that is experiencing sluggish response times and slow data speeds. You suspect the existence of malware. How would you go about removing malware? Which of the following steps should you take first?
d. Uninstall the offending app.
You have a desktop system with a 2.5 inch 500 GB SDD and a laptop with a 200 GB SDD. You want to replace the 500 GB SSD on the desktop with a larger SSD and use the 500 GB SSD in the laptop. All data has been backed up. What factors do you need to consider?
d. You can simply proceed to install the SDD from the desktop laptop directly in the laptop.
A system's performance is automatically doubled when you use two microprocessors.
false
What two different power-on passwords can be set to lock down a computer from unauthorized access?
supervisor password user password
A video card using a PCIe ×16 slot is faster than the video port built-in on the motherboard.
true
A customer asks you over the phone how much it will cost to upgrade memory on her desktop system to 16 GB. She is a capable Windows user and able to access BIOS/UEFI setup using the user power-on password you set up for her. Which actions can you ask the customer to perform as you direct her over the phone to get the information you need to develop an estimate of the upgrade's cost?
c. Use BIOS/UEFI to show which memory slots are used and how much memory is installed in each slot
You decide to add three new hard drives to your computer so that you can increase the amount of storage on it. When you install the hard drives, you find enough SATA connections on the motherboard, but it is short one SATA power connector. What is the easiest way to add a SATA power connector to the system?
c. Use a Molex to SATA power adapter
You have a computer that is running low on storage, so you decide to install a second hard drive to store your files. You would like to partition the drive you just installed and end up with two volumes. In addition, you want to keep the original hard drive intact, which is where the Windows operating system resides. What process would allow you to meet your objective?
d. Boot Windows and use Disk Management to prepare the new drive.
Understanding the various types of computing devices and their related components is important as you work to maintain, upgrade, or build a device. How are the PCI Slot and USB Port components related?
d. Both components are connected directly to the motherboard
Johan is a hard drive performance engineer working at a major storage device manufacturer. He needs to measure, record, and analyze the throughput, IOPS, and the latency of the different models of drives the company produces. What is the difference between these three parameters? Select three.
a. IOPS measures the number of read or write operations performed in one second. b. Throughput is the amount of data flow through a point in the data path in one second. c. Latency measures the time required to process a data request or a transaction.
You are installing a new hard drive in a system in which the hard drive will run at 6.0Gbps. What can you use to determine whether the SATA port to which you are connecting the drive will also run at 6.0Gbps?
a. Motherboard manual
An employee informs the help desk the laptop they are using cannot update the login credentials when they plug it in to the company's wired network. Wireless connectivity is fine, but the login credentials cannot be updated using Wi-Fi. What is a possible action the help desk could take to troubleshoot the problem?
a. Use a loopback plug
You discover Event Viewer has been reporting hard drive errors for about a month. What is the first solution you should try to fix the problem?
a. Use the chkdsk command to repair the drive
Building computing machines and understanding their configuration is an important skill set. You can use this knowledge to perform upgrades, such as decreasing the power consumption or reducing the computer cases' physical size. Given your knowledge of a computer's internal components, which is the most important component to replace when doing these upgrades?
b. Form Factor
You and a friend decide to watch a movie on your computer. The movie is saved on a second hard drive on your system. When you are ready to watch the movie, you can't find it on your computer. You try to locate the second hard drive, and it is no longer listed in Windows. What might be the problem with the movie and the hard drive?
b. Hard drive has crashed.
Which of the following method is not typically used to keep a computer system cool?
b. Keeping the case open
Your friend has an ASUS TUF505DU laptop, and the magnetic hard drive has failed. Their uncle has offered to give them a working hard drive he no longer needs, the Toshiba MK8009GAH 80 GB 4200RPM drive. Will this drive fit this laptop? Why or why not?
b. No, the drive form factor matches, but the interface does not match.
Your customer is having a problem with their cellular device. They read that they should disable roaming on the phone to save money. The customer is going out of town and will need to enable roaming. After you enable roaming for the customer, you will need to update information about radio bands, sub-bands, and service providers' IDs. What kind of cellular update contains information about radio bands, sub-bands, and service providers' IDs?
b. PRL update
You are replacing a toner cartridge. You have already powered off and unplugged the printer. What actions would you take next to replace the toner cartridge?
b. Press the cover release button and open the printer cover.
Protecting yourself and the equipment is essential for having a positive experience when working inside a computer. Some technicians use an ESD mat as protection equipment. What is the function of an ESD mat?
b. To allow any electrostatic discharge to be safely dissipated when completing hardware maintenance.
Micah prefers to use an external USB mouse on his laptop computer. However, while he is typing, he can see the mouse cursor moving erratically on the screen. This symptom continues even when the external mouse is disconnected from the USB port. Micah wants to resolve this erratic cursor movement while still being able to use the external mouse and touch pad. What change can Micah make as the best next step toward resolving this issue?
b. Turn off the touch pad using the appropriate Fn key combination.
When you build a computer from parts, you usually start by deciding on which two components?
b. motherboard c. processor
You received a call from a cashier at a retail store who cannot get a receipt to print for a waiting customer. While interviewing the cashier, you determine that the receipt printer acts like it is printing and then ejects the receipt. However, no print is showing. The cashier mentions they replaced the paper roll just prior to the current transaction. Which of the following should be checked first?
c. Paper is installed incorrectly
Lin is booting up his computer. Sometimes during the boot process, the computer will shut down, but more often than not it will reboot on its own or simply freeze. He thinks the problem could be due to an intermittent undervoltage problem with the power supply, so he uses a power supply tester. The test shows that the power supply is functioning properly. What should Lin check next in the troubleshooting process?
c. RAM
Sara is having a tough time finding the cause of a problem on a computer she is troubleshooting. She found a possible problem but is not sure if she is correct. In case she is wrong, Sara does not want to test her theory, because doing so might worsen the problem. What would you advise Sara to do?
c. Research the problem on the Internet.
Peg has decided to replace her computer's magnetic hard drive with a new solid-state drive (SSD). As she prepares to begin the installation, she considers the best interface to use. The computer currently uses the SATA interface. Which of the following statements best describes what she found in her research?
c. The NVMe interface uses the PCIe x4 interface, enabling a higher transfer rate, and is the best option.
You install Windows on a new SSD that fits in an M.2 socket in a modern high-end motherboard. After installing the OS, the system will not boot as expected. What could be the problem?
c. The boot sequence needs to be changed to boot from the SSD.
Explain how a DVD manufacturer can advertise that a DVD can hold 4.7 GB, but Explorer reports the DVD capacity as 4,706,074,624 bytes, or 4.38 GB.
c. The manufacturer measures capacity in decimal, and the OS measures capacity in binary.
What is the very first step that should be taken when performing work with a computer?
c. You should back up any important data.
You are connecting a computer for a SOHO network client that uses cable broadband Internet service. The cable company has tested and verified that the Internet connection is functioning properly. Which of the following will be a part of the configuration of the SOHO router?
d. Connect the computer to the SOHO network using an Ethernet cable.
Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM) are equipped with technology that enables processing of two read and two write instructions per clock cycle. How do DDR2 systems compare to DDR4 systems?
d. DDR4 systems exhibit improved performance and advanced signal processing
Upon starting his new role to build a number of devices for an organization, Steve has begun setting up his work area so that he is safe and that the devices are less likely to be damaged during the course of his work. One of the tools in his work area for ensuring he can safely work on hardware to dissipate any electrostatic discharge is referred to as a(n) ______.
d. ESD mat
Marina is replacing her computer's CD-R optical drive with one that has DVD-RW capabilities. When she reboots the computer after installing the disk, she notices that it does not seem to have the required drivers installed. She checks the manufacturer's website and reads that the optical drive is equipped with its own embedded drivers. Which approach should Marina use to ensure that the drivers are installed?
d. First, check the SATA power connector, then check the Device Manager for installation errors.
Which connector is used on most computers and televisions to transmit digital video and audio?
d. HDMI connector
Brandon returned from a two-week business trip. The first time he turned on his computer, during the boot sequence, he received a S.M.A.R.T. (self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology) error during POST. Why did this error appear?
d. Hard drive is failing and will need to be replaced soon.
What is the general name of the processor feature that AMD calls Hyper Transport?
d. Multithreading
You work for a supplier that provides technology products to a variety of industries. One of your partners calls you and indicates they need to buy 10 computers that will run an application that requires writing to the hard drive at 3.5 Gb/sec. What standard should the SATA connector on the motherboard support?
d. SATA Revision 3.x
Abdel, an electrician, does not know much about computers so he orders a custom computer with a 1000 W power supply. However, the maximum wattage the system needs is 500 W. Which of the following statements are true? Select two
d. The power supply will only deliver up to 500 W of power and operate very efficiently. e. The 1000 W power supply will last longer than, for example, a 750 W power supply.
Idris, a technician, received an escalated trouble ticket for a laptop that required the replacement of the internal speakers. When Idris arrived and inspected the laptop, they found that the external plastic covers and keyboard bezel, removed by the previous technician, were scratched, cracked, and not fitting together properly. After interviewing the laptop's user, Idris confirmed that the laptop covers were fitting properly prior to the initial disassembly by the previous technician. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this issue?
d. The previous technician was not careful when prying the plastic case apart.
While building a high-end gaming system, you are attempting to install the EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, and you discover there is not enough clearance above the motherboard for the card. What is your best solution?
d. Use a different case that allows for the height of the expansion card.
James added a new video card and needs to get a power supply that will have enough power to run the new card. When researching the new power supply, what feature does James need to look for to make sure he has enough power to run his computer with the new video card?
d. Wattage
A computer freezes at odd times. At first, you suspected the power supply of overheating, but you h have eliminated overheating and replaced the power supply without solving the problem. What do you do next?
e. Flash BIOS/UEFI.
Devon would like to install a new hard drive on his computer. Because he does not have a SATA port available on his motherboard, he has decided to purchase a NVME SSD hard drive. How can Devon attach a NVME device to his computer? (Select all that apply.)
a. PCIe expansion card b. U.2 port on the motherboard c. M.2 slot on the motherboard
A company executive has asked you to install a wireless access point at the top of a steel beam in the factory. There is no electrical connection at this location, and due to the design of the factory, no electrical outlet can be added. What technology can you implement to supply electric service to the access point? (Select TWO.)
a. PoE injector f. PoE-capable switch
A technician apprentice updated the graphics card on a customer's computer, but now the computer will not boot up. The apprentice asks the lead computer technician for advice on troubleshooting the issue. What solution should the lead technician suggest for this issue?
a. Test the PCIe card in a different computer
A technician has determined that a laptop keyboard will need to be removed in order to replace the laptop's CPU cooling fan. Which of the following steps will most likely be required before the technician can remove the keyboard from the laptop? (Select two.)
a. The keyboard cable(s) will need to be disconnected from the ZIF socket(s). d. The keyboard bezel will need to be removed.
Athena, a Computer Science student, is attempting to create a virtual machine (VM) on her workstation, which is running Windows 11. While attempting to create the VM, the software is giving a low memory warning error message. What problem do you think Athena is experiencing?
a. The pagefile.sys is too small for the installed RAM.
What new parts will you need to replace a failing processor? (Choose all that apply.)
b. Processor d. Thermal compound
What is the function of the computer's bus system?
b. To manage and transmit data throughout the computer
Sara works in the IT department for a large retail store. She has been testing a theory about why an error message keeps popping up on a coworker's computer when they try to start Windows. She has hit a wall and doesn't know where to look next. Sara feels very frustrated with the problem. What should Sara do to help work out the solution?
a. Take a break and come back later.
A user is having difficulty getting a laptop to display through a projector. During the troubleshooting process, it was verified that the built-in display is working properly. What do you think would be the next step to diagnose and resolve the projector display issue?
a. Use the laptop's function key to toggle display output to external video.
An experienced user has installed Oracle VM VirtualBox on her workstation and is attempting to use it to create a virtual machine (VM). The software is causing error messages while attempting to create the VM. What is the most likely problem?
a. Virtualization is not enabled in BIOS/UEFI.
You buy a new hard disk drive and install the Linux operating system. You later decide you prefer the Windows operating system so you install it instead. Before you installed either one of the two operating systems, the hard drive had sector markings that allowed you to install the operating system of your choice. What facilitated this capability?
b. Low-level formatting
Elliott brought his laptop to you to diagnose his 'screen issues.' While interviewing him, Elliott describes an instance where the entire screen displaying weird colors as well as an instance when the screen froze. How should Elliott resolve this issue?
c. Replace the Mini PCIe video card
What is a wireless internet connectivity method that makes use of cellular technology?
. 3G
You are setting up a RAID system in a server designed for optimum fault tolerance, accuracy, and minimal downtime. Which hard drive is best for this system, assuming the motherboard supports it?
. Hot-swap 3.5" SATA Revision 3.0 10,000 RPM drive
Which statements are true, relative to RAID 0, and/or why would you implement it? Select two.
. Improves overall disk performance RAID 0 requires at least two drives
Your manager has purchased a new laptop for business use and has asked you to make sure the data he plans to store on the laptop is secure. Which of the following security measures is the most important to implement to keep the data secure? Which is second in importance?
. Use BitLocker Encryption with the TPM chip.
Windows is displaying an error about incompatible hardware. You enter BIOS/UEFI setup to change the boot priority order so you can boot from the Windows setup DVD to troubleshoot the system. However, when you get to the Boot screen, you find that the options to change the boot priority order are grayed out and not available. What is most likely the problem?
. You signed in to BIOS/UEFI with the user power-on password rather than the supervisor power-on password.
What is a reasonable wattage capacity for a power supply to be used with a system that contains a DVD drive, three hard drives, and a high-end video card?
700 W
Kiera is building a new computer and wants to make sure she has an adequate power supply for all the new components she is purchasing. She will be installing three HDDs, with each using 25 watts. The processor she is using will need 125 watts. The motherboard will use 80 watts. RAM will require 3 watts for each of the four DDR3 DIMM modules. Her video card will need 400 watts to run at the maximum level. She wants to keep the cost as low as possible for the power supply. Which power supply would you recommend?
900W power supply
When is it okay to touch the inside of a computer that is turned on?
a. When using a multimeter to measure voltage output
You install a virtual machine app such as VMware or Virtual Box. However, when you try to create a virtual machine, they system issues a message implying that virtualization is not supported. How/where could you potentially fix the problem?
BIOS/UEFI
Your computer has recently started to generate a few S.M.A.R.T messages. What is the most favorable thing you could do?
Backup your data immediately
What is the most likely result of a correctly installed processor, but an incorrectly installed cooler?
Boot process begins, but the system suddenly turns off after a short period
Sushana is working on a school computer project to determine the reason a device won't boot up. While investigating, she could hear the fans spinning, but the other components did not power up. Sushana asks her teacher for help. What should the teacher recommend?
Check the power supply and that the connectors are securely connected
Documentation on the memory modules in a computer says that each row is refreshed frequently, specifically, every 64ms. What type of memory is installed?
DRAM
You are researching RAM for a computer you are building for a friend who will be using the system as a home office server for a small business. She wants the added protection so the computer will not crash due to a memory error. What type of RAM should you consider purchasing?
ECC
This morning when Paul turned on his computer at work, it would not boot. Instead, Paul reported that he heard a loud clicking noise coming from inside his computer. What might be the problem with Paul's computer?
Magnetic hard drive failed
A computer has four DDR4 memory modules. Two modules have a speed of 3000 MHz and the other two have a speed of 4000 MHz. If the two 3000 MHz DIMMs are upgraded, the new modules to be installed should have what rating?
PC4 32000
The original P1 connector had 20 pins, why did the development of PCIe induce the adoption of a 24-pin P1 connector?
PCIe slots are faster than the previous generation and requires more power
Thomas came into work this morning and turned on his computer but nothing happened. He immediately called the help desk, and you were sent to fix his computer. While talking with Thomas about his computer, you find out that when he turns on the computer, he has lights and fans, but nothing else happens. He also tells you that the four memory modules were recently upgraded. Besides the memory, nothing else has been added or changed. You decide to try to re-create the problem, and when you turn on the computer, there are lights and fans, but no beeps and no video. You notice that the keyboard light does not come on. What can you determine about the problem with Thomas's computer? (Select all that apply.)
Processor has gone bad or is not seated properly. a. Motherboard has failed.
A friend has asked you to help him find out if his computer is capable of overclocking. How can you direct him?
Show him how to find System Summary data in the System Information utility in Windows and then do online research.
Data Security is an increasingly important consideration for many organizations. While researching security options, you learn about a device or tool designed to deny access to data when a stolen hard drive is installed on another device. Which of the following provides this security measure?
TPM
What must your motherboard have to use BitLocker Encryption in Windows 8/10/11 which will ensure that your hard drive cannot be used in another computer?
TPM chip
You upgrade a faulty PCIe video card to a recently released higher-performing card. Now the user complains that Windows hangs a lot and gives errors. Which is the most likely source of the problem?
The drivers for the card need updating.
You have just upgraded memory on a computer from 4 GB to 8 GB by adding one DIMM. When you first turn on the PC, the memory count shows only 4 GB. Which of the following is most likely the source of the problem? What can you do to fix it?
The new DIMM is not properly seated
Angie needs to move data from her home computer to a work computer. Her company will not allow her to connect to her OneDrive at work, and she has no access to her network drive at home. Which storage device is the best option for transferring the data?
USB flash drive
Dr. Everest, a professor at a university, is using custom software to visually demonstrate to his class the different techniques SSDs implement to help improve performance and reliability. Specifically, how the logical block addressing on a solid-state drive does not always address the same physical blocks, to distribute write operations more evenly. What should Dr. Everest call this specific portion of his presentation?
Wear leveling
Your manager wants you to build a custom computer for a dedicated application. Which of the following is NOT a factor that needs to be considered?
What operating system will be installed?
Explain the difference between RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 5. Select two.
a. All three flavors of RAID could be implemented using hardware or software RAID. d. RAID 0 stripes data across disks, RAID 1 mirrors data, and RAID 5 uses parity.
Li, a helpdesk technician, is troubleshooting a system. Based on experience, Li has narrowed down the problem and believes it is related to either the motherboard, processor, or RAM. Which symptoms would have allowed Li to narrow down the problem? Select three.
a. An error message is displayed while booting. b. The system begins to boot but then powers down. c. The system reports less memory than is installed.
Cynthia, an IT hardware technician, is configuring a wireless router and wants to secure this wireless network. Which of the following methods should she use to secure the router's transmissions (Select TWO.)?
a. Assign a new SSID and password to the wireless network. e. Change the default router firmware login name and password.
You are installing a 1.5 TB hard drive in a computer. What two methods could you use to partition the hard drive?
a. GUID Partition Table (GPT) b. Master Boot Record (MBR
What is the maximum throughput speed of PCI Express Version 6.0 using 16 lanes?
b. 126 GB/sec
Orlando's company is upgrading their networking equipment and gave him an older enterprise grade router. He wants to configure it using an old computer he found in his garage. What type of serial cable will most likely fit his old computer?
b. A cable that will plug into the DB9 port
Maria has a laptop with a motherboard that is beyond repair. She comes to your computer repair shop and requests that you replace the motherboard. What are two of the most likely responses you will give her?
b. Buy a new laptop because replacing it will be more cost-effective than repairing it. c. Your shop has made a conscious decision not to replace motherboards on laptops.
The delivery of data communications using TCP protocols favor speed rather than guaranteeing message receipt?
b. False
Which statements are true regarding motherboards? (Select two)
b. Has a CPU socket d. Has slots for DIMMs
A field service technician is replacing a server motherboard that supports CPUs with multithreading capabilities. The technician notices the motherboard has four processor sockets. If each socket supports a quad-core processor, how many logical processors does the system appear to have?
c. 32
Which of the following describes a UTM Appliance?
c. A device that protects the network with anti-malware functions and a basic firewall.
A four-year-old laptop will not boot and presents error messages on-screen. You have verified with the laptop technical support that these error messages indicate the wireless card has failed and needs replacing. What is the first step you should take to prepare for the repair?
c. Ask if the laptop is still under warranty.
You are looking for a new Intel processor, and you want a processor that works fast and has the most memory on the processor. What is the main feature that you should take into consideration when deciding on which processor to purchase?
c. Cache
Lucas works at a small production company that receives contracts to perform high-end video editing and rendering. He needs to buy systems with the ability to write 30 Gb/sec to a storage medium. What standard should the systems support?
c. NVM Express
Which of the following is a twisted pair cable that is capable of gigabit-ethernet speeds and can be installed in ceiling cavities?
c. Plenum-rated CAT-5e
