Motherboard
CPU
Memory
Troubleshooting
Pre Pre-Test Prep
100

This you should do FIRST before installing a new motherboard.

What is read the manual or documentation?

100

The language that CPUs communicate in.

What is binary?

100

Also known a magnetic drive, these hard drives are cheap and feature high storage capacities.

What is HDD?

100

This is the first/easiest/most basic step of troubleshooting something.

Reboot!

100

A supervisor has asked you to update the BIOS on a customer's laptop. Where is the best place to find the correct BIOS firmware?

What is the Manufacturer's website?

200

ATX, MicroATX and Mini-ITX

What are form factors?

200

This determines the amount of tasks a CPU can process at once.

What is clock speed/cycle?

200

Temporary memory that stores information for the length of time a computer is left on or the program is left running.

What is RAM?

200

The ____ displays all the drivers for the hardware that is configured on a computer.

What is the Device Manager?

200

Your supervisor has asked you to bring her a DE-15 connector, she describes it as a legacy monitor cable. What is she referring to?

What is VGA?

300

The port that connects the hard drive to the motherboard

What is the SATA connection port?

300

This type of processor is ideal for a workstation that does allot of online streaming, and video editing.

What is a multi-core processor?

300

When experiencing long wait times to retrieve or save files on a PC, this tool is useful to improve the speed.

What is disk defragmentation?

300

What should you do next after testing the theory to determine the cause?

What is establish a plan of action to resolve the problem.

300

What can be used as a storage device to boot an operating system?

What is USB Drive?

400

The ______ determines the type of processor and RAM required for a motherboard.

What is the chipset?

400

This component is responsible for storing data from frequently used main memory locations.

What is CPU cache?

400

These types of drives use 40pin or 80pin ribbon wires (look like old seat belts)

What is a PATA or IDE (integrated drive electronics) drive.

400

The possible cause of a computer that will not boot or constantly locks up.

What is (1) CPU has overheated (2) CPU fan is failing (3) CPU has failed?

400

PCIe slots are used on motherboards to do what?

Add additional components like sound cards, graphics cards, etc.

500

This happens immediately after you power on a PC and is a test to make sure everything is working correctly.

What is a POST (Power on Self Test)

500

When troubleshooting a CPU that is showing signs of failure, this component should be checked FIRST.

What is the heatsink?

500

A characteristic of a type of RAM in which it needs to be refreshed hundreds of times per second.

What is dynamic RAM?

500

The probable cause of a computer that does not display any video after installing a new PCIe video card.

What is (1) BIOS settings are set to use on board video (2) Cable is still connected to the built-in video (3) New video card is faulty

500

SATA is an acronym for

What is serial advanced technology attachment?