Cases & Form Factors
You want to build a computer that can stand upright on a desk and takes up the least amount of space possible.
Which case type should you select?
A. Micro-ATX slim tower
B. Mini-ITX tower
C. HTPC
D. ATX mid-tower
A. Micro-ATX slim tower
Micro-ATX slim towers are designed to be able to stand upright on desks, reducing the amount of space they require.
Which function does a motherboard's chipset perform?
A. Facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.
B. Controls devices and functions attached to the motherboard.
C. Maintains an accurate system time and date.
D. Initializes devices during the boot process.
A. Facilitates communication between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.
Since it has no moving parts, a CPU will usually work properly for several years.
Which of the following is a common factor that MIGHT cause a CPU to fail prematurely?
A. Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
B. High CPU usage
C. Unsupported memory modules
D. Electromagnetic interference
A. Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
Electrostatic discharge is the only listed factor that can cause a CPU to fail prematurely. Be careful while working on your CPU to avoid ESD by working on a static mat grounded with a wrist strap.
The CEO of your small company has asked you to connect his laptop computer to the small conference room LED TV. The CEO will be showing a new promotional video that demonstrates the new company strategy through images and sound. Which of the following cable types would work BEST for connecting his laptop to the display?
A. DVI
B. Composite
C. HDMI
D. VGA
C. HDMI
HDMI is the default cable standard for newer electronic devices, such as Blu-Ray players and LED TVs. HDMI can carry both digital video and audio signals. Most modern computers include an HDMI port.
Which of the following processor features used is MOST likely to dynamically reduce power consumption based on current operating conditions?
A. Multi-core
B. Overclocking
C. Caching
D. Hyper-threading
E. Throttling
E. Throttling
Throttling modifies the operating characteristics of a processor based on current conditions.
Which of the following motherboard form factors BEST allows for low-consumption power supplies?
A. EATX
B. MicroATX
C. Mini-ITX
D. NLX
C. Mini-ITX
Mini-ITX motherboards are designed for low-power, small, form factor computers. Some Mini-ITX motherboards are designed to be used with 100 watt power supplies.
Which expansion slot is best for high-end dedicated video cards?
A. AGP
B. PCIe x1
C. PCI-X
D. PCIe x16
D. PCIe x16
Zoey has brought her computer in for servicing. When she dropped off her computer, she mentioned that her computer will sometimes spontaneously reboot and freezes occasionally.
Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this problem?
A. Failed UPS
B. Overheated CPU
C. Failing drive
D. Bad network card
B. Overheated CPU
You are in the process of building a new computer. You would like to configure your computer to use Crossfire to improve performance when playing your favorite game. Which of the following will be part of the configuration process?
A. Purchase a video card that supports the DVI standards.
B. Purchase a video card that supports HDCP.
C. Purchase two identical video cards.
D. Purchase a video card that supports the HDMI standards.
C. Purchase two identical video cards.
For increased performance, especially in games, you can install multiple video cards and link those cards together so that multiple GPUs draw a single screen. Scalable Link Interface (SLI) from NVIDIA and CrossFire from AMD are two different methods for linking video cards.
Which port on a sound card should you connect a non-amplified microphone to?
A. Speaker Out
B. Line In
C. Mic In
D. Line Out
C. Mic In
Which of the following form factors does not have expansion slots on the motherboard, but instead uses a riser card for expansion cards?
A. NLX
B. BTX
C. ATX
D. Micro-ATX
A. NLX
The NLX form factor uses a riser card in the middle of the system board (expansion slots are located on the riser card rather than the system board).
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?
A. Standoffs
B. Fans
C. Heat spreaders
D. Passive heat sink
A. Standoffs
Standoffs should be placed between the motherboard and the case. Standoffs prevent the motherboard circuits from touching the system case and grounding or shorting.
You have just finished upgrading the CPU in your desktop system. After running for about 15 minutes, the system spontaneously shuts down. Which steps should you take to begin troubleshooting the issue? (Select TWO).
A. Check the power supply voltage switch.
B. Remove any unnecessary components and run the system.
C. Replace the power supply.
D. Check the CPU fan power.
E. Check the thermal shutdown threshold in the BIOS.
D. Check the CPU fan power.
E. Check the thermal shutdown threshold in the BIOS.
You need to connect a monitor that provides an HDMI port and a VGA port to a video adapter in a PC system that uses a DVI-D connector. Which of the following options would provide the BEST display quality at the lowest cost?
A. Purchase a new monitor with a DVI-D port.
B. Use an adapter to connect the monitor VGA port to the DVI-D connector on the PC.
C. It's not possible to connect this monitor to this PC.
D. Use an adapter to connect the monitor HDMI port to the DVI-D connector on the PC.
D. Use an adapter to connect the monitor HDMI port to the DVI-D connector on the PC.
You are testing the power supply in a PC system by measuring the voltage available on the 4-pin Molex connector. The voltage on the yellow wire is +10.1 volts. What should you do?
A. Switch the voltage selector on the back from 220 VAC to 110 VAC.
B. Nothing. The power supply is working normally.
C. Disconnect all devices drawing power from the power supply before testing it.
D. Replace the power supply.
D. Replace the power supply.
The yellow wire on a Molex connector should provide +12 volts DC. The fact that this power supply is only supplying 10.1 volts DC indicates that it is failing and should be replaced.
You need to purchase a case that meets the following criteria:
Compatible with most form factors
At least two external and internal bays
Good balance of size and space
Which case type should you purchase?
A. ATX full-tower
B. ATX mid-tower
C. Mini-ITX tower
D. Micro-ATX tower
B. ATX mid-tower
You should purchase an ATX mid-tower case. ATX mid-tower cases are compatible with the most motherboard form factors and typically have at least two external bays.
Which of the following is an advantage of purchasing a motherboard with integrated graphics and audio?
A. Reduced need for device drivers
B. Fewer system resources used
C Faster communication between sound and video devices
D. Lower overall system cost
D. Lower overall system cost
Purchasing a motherboard with integrated components typically results in a lower overall cost. Even though the motherboard might cost a little bit more, you will save on the cost of purchasing additional devices.
Steve, a computer technician, received a helpdesk ticket for a computer that will not start. When Steve powered the computer on, there was one long and two short beeps. Which of the following programs is reporting this error condition?
A. CMOS
B. POST
C. initramfs
D. ESP
B. POST
A customer wants to add an additional video card to her computer so she can play the latest computer games. As a result, this system will now have a multi-GPU configuration. Which of the following statements are true? (Select TWO).
A. Linking only shares memory resources, not GPU resources.
B. The motherboard should support either SLI or CrossFire.
C. For the best performance, both video cards should be identical.
D. An SLI video card can be linked with a CrossFire video card.
B. The motherboard should support either SLI or CrossFire.
C. For the best performance, both video cards should be identical.
Which of the following is an error detection technique that can also correct the error?
A. EDO
B. ECC
C. Non-parity
D. Parity
B. ECC
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 purchased will not fit due to the card's height. Which of the following is the BEST method for using the newly purchased card?
A. Use an expanded case to accommodate the height of the newly purchased card.
B. Use a parallel card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard.
C. Use a riser card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard.
D. Use a firewire card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard.
C. Use a riser card to allow the new card to be installed parallel to the motherboard.
Riser cards attach to the motherboard and have expansion cards on the side. Using these expansion slots allow you to install additional cards parallel to the motherboard. This is especially useful in low-profile computers.
You have a computer system with a dual-core processor. You would like to upgrade to a quad-core processor, but you don't want to replace the motherboard. Which of the following steps SHOULD you perform first?
A. Replace the VRM.
B. Read the motherboard documentation to identify which processors are supported.
C. Configure jumpers on the motherboard to allow four CPU cores.
D. Edit the BIOS to allow quad-core CPUs.
E. Install the processor.
B. Read the motherboard documentation to identify which processors are supported.
The first thing you need to do before purchasing and installing a new processor is use the motherboard documentation to verify that the new processor is supported by your existing motherboard.
Lately, your computer is spontaneously shutting down after only a few minutes of use. What is the likely cause? (Select TWO).
A. Someone unplugged the computer without performing a proper shutdown first.
B. The CPU is not supported by the BIOS.
C. The power connector for the fan was not connected to the motherboard.
D. The CPU is bad.
E. The heat sink and fan were not installed correctly.
C. The power connector for the fan was not connected to the motherboard.
E. The heat sink and fan were not installed correctly.
An improperly installed fan or heat sink may cause overheating of the CPU, which would likely cause the computer to shut down shortly after power-on. Dust buildup and improper ventilation in the computer can also cause CPU overheating.
You are installing a high-end PCIe x16 video card in a new computer. The video card has connectors for two displays. The card also has dual fans to cool the unit. Which of the following will MOST likely be part of the installation?
A. Enable the motherboard's integrated graphics in the BIOS.
B. Enable the video card's second monitor connector in the BIOS.
C. Connect a 6- or 8-pin power connector to the video card.
D. Connect a CrossFire bridge cable to the video card.
C. Connect a 6- or 8-pin power connector to the video card.
Most high-end PCIe x16 video cards require a special 6-pin or 8-pin power connector for additional power. Be sure to connect the power after inserting the card in the system and prior to turning the system on.
The maker of this game is awesome!
A. True
B. True
C. True
D. True
All of the above!!!
He is the absolute coolest.