A + Cert Questions 2009

Front 1

What are the six steps of troubleshooting?

Back 1

Step 1: Identify the problem.
Step 2: Establish a theory of probable cause. (Question the obvious.)
Step 3: Test the theory to determine the cause
Step 4: Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
Step 5: Verify full system functionality and if applicable implement preventative measures.
Step 6: Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Front 2

There is a problem with the power supplied to a group of computers, and you do
not know how to fix the problem. What should you do first?

A. Establish a theory of why you can’t figure out the problem.
B. Contact the building supervisor or your manager.
C. Test the theory to determine the cause.
D. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Back 2

B. Contact the building supervisor or your manager.

Front 3

You have confirmed the theory that a video card is bad and needs to be replaced. What should you do next?

A. Escalate the problem.
B. Document your actions so far.
C. Establish a plan of action.
D. Question the user.

Back 3

C. Establish a plan of action.

Front 4

What should you check next if you have nothing on the display and your getting power? (The big four)

Back 4

1. Video card
2. RAM
3. Processor
4. Motherboard

Front 5

Which of the following are possible faulty components for having nothing on the display? (Select all that apply.)

A. Sound card
B. Video card
C. Processor
D. Network card

Back 5

B. Video card
C. Processor

Front 6

This provides the connection between the processor (also known as the CPU),
the RAM, and some PCI Express devices and handles the communications between them?

Back 6

Memory Controller Hub (MCH)

Front 7

This provides the central connection
point between all the secondary systems such as USB, FireWire, hard
drives, and so on?

Back 7

I/O Controller Hub (ICH)

Front 8

This connects the MCH to the processor (CPU) socket?

Back 8

Front Side Bus (FSB)

Front 9

This set of wires connects the MCH to the RAM slots. It
has also been referred to as the address bus?

Back 9

Memory Bus

Front 10

This connects the MCH to the x16 PCIe slot used for video; usually there is only one of these slots on a motherboard.

Back 10

PCI Express x16 Interface

Front 11

What is the maxium data tranfer rate and connector for a IDE controller?

Back 11

133 MB/s and 40-pin data cable

Front 12

Which expansion bus uses lanes to transfer data?

A. PCI
B. PCI-X
C. PCIe
D. PCIa

Back 12

C. PCIe

Front 13

Which Hub does PCIe connect to?

A. Ethernet hub
B. I/O Controller Hub
C. UPS hub
D. Memory Controller Hub

Back 13

D. Memory Controller Hub

Front 14

Which of these are serial technologies? Select all that apply.

A. USB
B. IEEE 1394
C. PCIe
D. PCI

Back 14

A. USB
B. IEEE 1394
C. PCIe

Front 15

Which of these are 32-bit parallelb technologies?

A. USB
B. IEEE 1394
C. PCIe
D. PCI

Back 15

D. PCI

Front 16

Which Hub does PCI connect to?

A. Ethernet hub
B. I/O Controller Hub
C. UPS hub
D. Memory Controller Hub

Back 16

B. I/O Controller Hub

Front 17

Which Hub does AGP connect to?

A. Ethernet hub
B. I/O Controller Hub
C. UPS hub
D. Memory Controller Hub

Back 17

D. Memory Controller Hub

Front 18

What is the maximum transfer rate and frequency of PCI?

Back 18

33MHz, 133MB/s
66MHz, 266MB/s

Front 19

What is the maximum data transfer rate and frequency of AGP?

Back 19

66MHz, 266MB/s
66MHz, 2 GB/s

Front 20

What is the maximum data transfer rate of PCIe?

Back 20

1 GB/s per lane

Front 21

What voltage does an orange pin indicate on an ATX power connector?

A. +1 2. V
B. +5. V
C. -5. V
D. +3.3. V

Back 21

D. +3.3. V

Front 22

What voltage does an red pin indicate on an ATX power connector?

A. +1 2. V
B. +5. V
C. -5. V
D. +3.3. V

Back 22

B. +5. V

Front 23

What voltage does an yellow pin indicate on an ATX power connector?

A. +1 2. V
B. +5. V
C. -5. V
D. +3.3. V

Back 23

A. +1 2. V

Front 24

What voltage does an blue pin indicate on an ATX power connector?

A. +1 2. V
B. +5. V
C. -12 V
D. +3.3. V

Back 24

C. -12 V

Front 25

What voltage does an purple pin indicate on an ATX power connector?

A. +1 2. V
B. +5. V
C. +5. V (standby)
D. +3.3. V

Back 25

C. +5. V (standby)

Front 26

Which motherboard form factor measure 12 inches x 9.6 inches?

A. microATX
B. BTX
C. ATX
D. NLX

Back 26

C. ATX

Front 27

Which motherboard form factor measure 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches?

A. microATX
B. BTX
C. ATX
D. NLX

Back 27

A. microATX

Front 28

Which motherboard form factor measure 12.8 inches x 10.5 inches?

A. microATX
B. BTX
C. ATX
D. NLX

Back 28

B. BTX

Front 29

Which motherboard form factor measure 9 inches x 13.6 inches?

A. microATX
B. BTX
C. ATX
D. NLX

Back 29

D. NLX

Front 30

The job of this system is to identify, test and initialize components of the system?

Back 30

Basic Input/Output System(BIOS)

Front 31

What is a identifying characteristic of ATX?

Back 31

the RAM slots and expansion bus slots are perpendicular to each other

Front 32

What is a identifying characteristic of BTX?

Back 32

the RAM slots and expansion busses are parallel to each other.

Front 33

What is a identifying characteristic of microATX?

Back 33

Smaller than ATX but backward compatible to it.

Front 34

What is a identifying characteristic of NLX ?

Back 34

Utilizes a riser card.

Front 35

What stores the contents
of the BIOS’s findings

Back 35

CMOS

Front 36

What are the four possible reasons for motherboad failure?

Back 36

BIOS issues
ESD and other electrical issues
component failure
manufacturing defect

Front 37

Before installing a motherboard, what should you do? (Select the best answer.)

A. Install the processor.
B. Verify that it is compatible with the case.
C. Employ ESD prevention methods.
D. Test the motherboard with a multimeter.

Back 37

C. Employ ESD prevention methods.

Front 38

Which of the following are possible reasons for motherboard failure? (Select all
that apply.)

A. Power surge
B. Manufacturer defect
C. CD-ROM failure
D. Incorrect USB device

Back 38

A. Power surge
B. Manufacturer defect

Front 39

How can you tell if a lithium battery has been discharged? (Select the best answer.)

A. Use a power supply tester.
B. Check within Windows.
C. Use a multimeter.
D. Plug it into another motherboard.

Back 39

C. Use a multimeter.

Front 40

Which of these is the speed of the CPU?

A. External clock speed
B. FSB
C. Internal clock speed
D. System bus speed

Back 40

C. Internal clock speed

Front 41

Which of these is the speed of the FSB?

A. External clock speed
B. CPU
C. Internal clock speed
D. System bus speed

Back 41

A. External clock speed

Front 42

Which of the following are 64-bit CPUs? (Select all that apply.)

A. Core 2 Duo
B. Phenom II
C. Pentium III
D. Celeron

Back 42

A. Core 2 Duo(Intel)
B. Phenom II (AMD)

Front 43

Which is the fastest cache memory?

A. L2
B. L3
C. HTTP
D. L1

Back 43

D. L1

Front 44

What does Hyper-Threading do?

A. It gives you multiple cores within the CPU.
B. It enables for four simultaneous threads to be processed by one CPU
core.
C. It enables for two simultaneous threads to be processed by one CPU
core.
D. It is a high-speed connection from the CPU to RAM

Back 44

C. It enables for two simultaneous threads to be processed by one CPU
core.

Front 45

What seals the tiny gaps between the CPU cap and the heat sink?

A. Thermal jelly
B. Peanut butter and jelly
C. 3-in-1 house oil
D. Thermal compound

Back 45

D. Thermal compound