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98 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the 3 main stages of the boot process?
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1 Power-on
2 Power-on self test (POST) 3 OS loading steps |
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When you start up your computer what special wire becomes charged to tell your cpu to wake up?
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The "Power good wire"
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During the start up process what happens when the power good wire tells the cpu to wake up?
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The CPU communicates with the System ROM chip and starts the BIOS programs.
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What happens during POST?
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The system BIOS communicates with all hardware and tells it to identify itself(ves).
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After the POST all the devices run a self diagnostic and report to the BIOS? (T/F)
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True
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How does the PC communicate POST errors?
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Through a "beep code" and through text or numeric messages on your CRT.
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What does a single happy-sounding "beep code" signify?
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That all is well.
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What does a long, repeating beep code mean?
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Problem with the RAM.
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A series of beeps, one long and 3 short usually means what for a "beep code."
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A problem with the video card.
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Where can specific beep code definitions be found?
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In your PC's motherboard manual or on your BIOS manufacturer's web site.
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Error Code Series 100
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Motherboard
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Error Code Series 200
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RAM
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Error Code Series 300
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Keyboard
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Error Code Series 400
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Monochrome Video
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Error Code Series 500
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Color Video
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Error Code Series 600
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Floppy Drive
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Error Code Series 1700
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Hard Drive
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If the POST error code is prevented from appearing on the screen or through the speaker, You need a _____?
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"POST card" tool which displays the code(s) with LEDs.
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Name 3 boot devices the BIOS looks for during POST to find the OS boot files.
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1 Floppy Drive
2 CD-ROM 3 Hard Drive |
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Once the POST process is complete, the BIOS then ...?
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Passes control of the boot process over to the PCs OS.
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Once the OS takes over the boot process, it....?
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Loads its core files, drivers, and services into RAM.
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What does the System ROM chip store?
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The System BIOS programs and CMOS setup utility.
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On older PCs, the BIOS programs were....?
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Hard coded onto the System ROM chip.
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On older PCs, to change the BIOS you had to....?
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Replace the entire ROM chip.
(the BIOS was hard coded) |
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Current mobos use ______ ROM chips.
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writable
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Writable ROM chips enable you to...?
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Install updated BIOS information without physically replacing the chip.
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2 Examples of writable ROM are?
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1 EEPROM
2 FLASH ROM |
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Many techs refer to the System BIOS as the ____ ____?
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ROM BIOS
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The A+ exam uses System BIOS and ROM BIOS interchangably. (T/F)
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True (or it may)
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RAM memory is ______. Meaning it store data while the PC is on.
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Volatile
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ROM memory is ______. Meaning it retains data with the system powered off.
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Non-Volatile
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What is the only type of maintenance that you'll ever undertake on the System ROM is?
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Replaceing teh CMOS Battery
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Name 4 BIOS MFGs.
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1 American Megatrends
2 AMI 3 Award Software 4 Pheonix Technologies |
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BIOS makers update BIOS programs only to fix...?
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Known bugs (which enhances stability) and add important functions as campatibility with new hardware or standards
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Updating your BIOS might add support for the newer ___ ___ and ___ ____ power management specification.
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(ACPI) Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
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ACPI = ______
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Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
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Techs refer to updating the System BIOS as what?
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Flashing the BIOS.
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A BIOS flash procedure that gets interrupted usually results in what?
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A PC that won't boot & a mobo that's rendered completely useless.
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Before flashing your BIOS, you should...?
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Back up your important documents & update any system repair or Emergency Rescue Diskettes.
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What is the 1st step for updating a System BIOS?
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1 Obtain the flashing program from the MFGs web site.
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What is the 2nd step in updating a System BIOS?
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2 Turn your system off
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What is the 3rd step in updating a System BIOS?
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3 Insert a valid boot disk and boot to the A: prompt
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What is the 4th step in updating a System BIOS?
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4 Insert the disk containing the flashing program and new BIOS into the floppy drive
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What is the 5th step in updating a System BIOS?
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5 Run the flashing program according to your BIOS mfgs instructions, making certain to back up your current BIOS when prompted.
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What is the 6th step in updating a System BIOS?
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6 Restart your system when the update is complete.
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Where is the CMOS setup utility stored?
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In the System ROM
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What does the CMOS setup utility enable you to do?
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To configure important System BIOS settings stored in the CMOS chip.
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The CMOS chip is a part of the mobo's chipset's _____ circuitry on most PCs.
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Southbridge
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Settings on a Southbridge include...?
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Port Assignments
Boot device Sequence Power Management & others |
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What are the names of the 2 distinct pathwaths of the chipset?
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1 Northbridge
2 Southbridge |
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The Northbridge connects...?
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The CPU to the system RAM and the AGP and PCI buses.
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The Southbridge connects...?
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Links the CPU to the secondary buses, USB, IDE, PS/2, etc.
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When must you try to enter your CMOS setup utility?
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In the early stages of the boot process.
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The directions for entering CMOS appears...?
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On your monitor during the boot up (which button to press)
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Before changing any CMOS settings...?
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Document any settings before you change them.
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Name the 1st 5 CMOS settings you can change.
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1 Parallel Ports 2 COM/Serial Ports 3 Floppy Drive 4 Hard Drive 5 Memory (RAM)
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Name the final 3 CMOS settings you can change.
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1 Boot Sequence 2 Date/Time 3 User/Supervisor Passwords 4 PnP BIOS
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Name 6 "Options" in the CMOS setup.
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1 Save&Exit, 2 Exit w/out Saving, 3 Restore Defaults 4 AntiVirus Protection, 5 Power Mgt. 6 Integrated Peripherals
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What is the 1st and best indicator it is time to change the CMOS battery.
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When the CPU clock starts losing time or if you are prompted to enter the date/time often.
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Some Parallel Devices are...?
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Printers, scanners, Zip drives,
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If a Parallel port isn't working due to a conflict with another device...?
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You can reset the IRQ and the I/O address.
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Disabling ports via the CMOS setup does what?
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Frees up it's resources for other devices to use.
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ECP = _____
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Extended Capabilities Port
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EPP = _____
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Enhanced Parallel Port
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CMOS does not configure the built-in parallel ports in newer systems for broadest compatibility with parallel devices. (T/F)
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False, It DOES automatically configure them.
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What are 3 other settings in CMOS setup for Parallel Ports?
Configure the Port as...? |
1 Standard Parallel Port
2 Extended Capabilities Port 3 Enhanced Parallel Port |
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The Standard Parallel Port setting.....? And provides what kind of data flow.
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it works fine for older printers, provides "Unidirectional" data flow
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New parallel devices use ______ data flow to communicate back to the computer.
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Bidirectional
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Name some instances where bidirectional data flow occurs.
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Printer toner/Ink levels
Print Job Status (Printer talks to the cpu) |
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Full-duplex communication is another way of saying...?
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Bidirectional data flow
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Serial Ports in newer systems are automatically configured through ___.
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Plug & Play (PnP)
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The CMOS setup enables you to configure the ___ & ___ addresses of serial ports if need be.
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IRQ
I/O |
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You can enable or disable serial ports in th CMOS to troubleshoot a device conflict. (T/F)
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True
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CMOS enable you to set what floppy drive configurations?
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Size
Capacity (Or boot from the floppy) |
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Newer systems automatically detect your hard drive settings (CMOS). (T/F)
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True
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(CMOS settings) In older systems you may need to specify ____, ____, and ____ values; ____ type and __ & __.
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Heads
Cylinders Sector Drive, drive capacity |
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Modern PCs detect and configure RAM settings automatically. (T/F)
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True
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Sometimes you may have to _____ RAM ______ after adding additional RAM to the PC.
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confirm
capacity |
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Name 2 special types of error checking RAM.
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Parity RAM
Error Correcting RAM |
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If you enable Parity checking RAM for Non-parity RAM what will happen.
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Result is a non-booting system.
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Only enable error checking RAM if....?
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You are sure that your system supports them... if not it won't boot back up.
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What is the default boot sequence on most PCs?
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Floppy Disk Drive
CD-ROM Hard Disk Drive |
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The computer's real-time clock is configured where?
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CMOS
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Why would you change the boot sequence to start with the CD-ROM Drive?
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To Install a new OS from a CD
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A user CMOS password requires...
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the user to ener a password during the early stages of the boot process.
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In most CMOS utilities you can set supervisor passwords that prevent unauthorized persons from using CMOS. (T/F)
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True, but remember the password or you can't use the CMOS.
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Should you forget the CMOS password, you can....
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Discharge the capacitor with the special jumper or unplug the CMOS battery for a few seconds. (unplug the cpu)
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Plug & Play enables modern PCs to automatically ______ & ______ PnP devices with ___ &___ address settings.
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Recognize
Configure IRQ I/O |
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Which Overrides the other in PnP settings? (OS or BIOS)
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The OS settings always override the BIOS.
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If you have a mixture of PnP and non PnP what should you do?
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It is a good idea to "Disable" BIOS PnP to minimize conflicting settings & use hardware from the OS.
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What option will make any changes configured in CMOS setup permanent?
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Save & Exit Setup
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What CMOS setup option undoes any changes you may have made?
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Exit Without Saving
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If you've made a change to the CMOS setup that had unexpected results, you could?
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Restore Defaults
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What function works at the BIOS level to prevent programs from overwriting the BIOS settings?
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The Antivirus Protection
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What function may need to be disabled when installing a new OS?
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The Antivirus Protection
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Certain onboard devices such as serial ports & USB controllers can be disabled to free up system resources (T/F)
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True (Integrated Peripherals Option)
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What does the Power Management option do?
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It can turn the Video/Hard drives off after an amount of idle time and put PC into suspended mode.
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Should the new CMOS battery match the one being replaced?
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Yes, Newer systems run on 3.6volts while older ones use 6 volts
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