(Solution Manual) A+ Guide to IT Technical Support (Hardware and Software)

Andrews, 9

Computer Science & Engineering

Solution Manual

9th Edition

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Solution Manual for A+ Guide to IT Technical Support (Hardware and Software), The downloadable file consists of 504 pages, and the total size of the file is 6.63 MB. Purchase now only for highly discounted price.

Author(s): Andrews

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[A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. List six types of video ports. Answer: VGA, S -Video, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt video ports 2. Which is faster, a Hi -Speed USB port or a SuperSpeed USB port? Answer: SuperSpeed USB is faster than Hi -Speed USB 3. What type of output does a n S/PDIF port provide? Answer: High quality sound to an audio system 4. What is the purpose of an expansion slot on a motherboard? Answer: An expansion slot on a motherboard is used for an expansion card, which provides a port or other function t hat is not provided by the motherboard. 5. What should be the setting for a dual -voltage selector switch on a power supply when using the computer in the United States? Answer: Set the switch to 115 volts 6. How is the best way to determine if a cable inside a computer is a data and instruction cable or a power cable? Answer: Follow the cable from its source to its destination 7. What technology standard is commonly used today for hard drives to interface with the motherboard in a system? Answer: SATA (serial ATA) 8. How many pins d id the first P1 power connector to the motherboard have that was used with the original ATX? Answer: 20 9. What type of expansion slot requires extra power so that 4 more pins had to be added to the older 20 -pin P1 power connector on the mothe rboard? Answer: PCI Express (PCIe) 10. What device might require extra power so that it uses the 12V 6 -pin power connector? In what two locations might you find the connector? Answer: A PCI Express video card. The connector might be located on the video card o r on the motherboard. 11. What is the purpose of the 4 -pin auxiliary connector on a motherboard? Answer: To provide extra voltage or power for a processor 12. What is the purpose of the 4 -pin Molex connector? Answer: To power older IDE (PATA) drives and some newer SATA drives 13. Why are laptop s usually more expensive than desktop computers with comparable power and features? Answer: Laptops use compact hard drives that can withstand movement even during operation, and small memory modules and CPUs that require less voltage than regular components. In general, it costs more to make similar components that take up less space and require less power. 14. What type of bus is used by ExpressCard slots? Answer: PCI Express 15. Which port do you use to connect a docking station to a laptop ? Answer: Docking port 16. What type of memory module is used in a desktop computer? laptop? Answer: DIMM, SO -DIMM 17. What wireless technology is used when two smart phones in close proximity exchange contact information? Answer: NFC (Near Field Commu nication) 18. Which tool can a computer hardware technician use when taking apart a computer to best protect computer components against ESD? Answer: ESD strap (also called a g round bracelet ) 19. What is the purpose of a POST diagnostic card? Answer: To report err ors at POST 20. What are the three purposes accomplished by the motherboard BIOS? Answer: System BIOS manages essential devices, startup BIOS starts the computer, and BIOS setup is used to configure the motherboard Thinking Critically 1. You purchase a new desktop computer that does not have wireless capability, and then you decide that you want to use a wireless connection to the Internet. What are the least expensive ways (pick two) to upgrade your system to wireless? a. Trade in the computer for another comp uter that has wireless installed b. Purchase a second computer that has wireless c. Purchase a wireless expansion card and install it in your system d. Purchase a USB wireless adapter and connect it to the computer by way of a USB port Answers: c. Purchase a wireless expansion card and install it in your system, and d. Purchase a USB wireles s adapter and connect it to the computer by way of a USB port 2. What type of computer is likely to use SO -DIMMs, have an internal power supply, and use a desktop processor so cket? Answer: An all -in-one computer 3. A friend asks you for help in determining the best product to buy: a laptop, tablet , or smart phone . She is a paralegal and spends a lot of time at the courthouse researching real estate titles. She wants a device to ta ke notes with as she works. List three questions you would ask her to help her make her decision. Answers may vary. Possible answers: • How extensive are the notes you want to take? • What type of notes do you take (text, drawings, or both)? • How much money do you want to spend? 4. When troubleshooting a computer hardware problem, which tool might help with each of the following problems? a. You suspect the network port on a computer is not functioning. b. The system fails at the beginning of the boot and nothing appears on the screen. c. A hard drive is not working and you suspect the Molex power connector from the power supply might be the source of the problem. Answers: a. Loopback plug, b. POST diagnostic card, c. Multimeter Chapter 2 Solutions —A+ Comp 9e [EOC A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. When taking a computer apart, why is it important to not stack boards on top of each other? Answer: You could accidentally dislodge a chip. 2. Why is it important to remove loose jewelry before working inside a computer case? Answer: Because the jewelry might get caught in cables and components as you work. 3. When assembling a desktop computer , which do you install first, the drives or the motherboard? Answer: Drives 4. What is the purpose of raised s crew holes or standoffs installed between the motherboard and desktop case? Answer: To prevent a short that might happen if lines or circuits on the bottom of the motherboard touch the case when the system is running. 5. When installing the front panel wires to the motherboard front panel header, how do you know which pins to use for each wire if the pins on the header are not labeled? Answer: You can find this information in the motherboard user guide. 6. How many pins does the CPU auxiliary power connector on a motherboard have? Answer: 4 pins 7. Why are laptops usually more expensive than desktop computers with comparable power and features? Answer: Laptops use compact hard drives that can withstand movement even during operation, and small memory modules and CPUs that require less voltage than regular components. In general, it costs more to make similar components that take up less space and require less power. 8. Why is the service manual so important to have when you disassemble a laptop? Answer: The service manua l for the laptop model explains how to open the case and remove components without damaging the case or components. Each laptop model is proprietary in design and the ways to disassemble a laptop vary widely. 9. When a laptop internal device fails, what three options can you use to deal with the problem? Answer: Return the laptop to a service center for repair Substitute an external component for the internal component Replace the internal component 10. After you have removed the AC adapter and all peripherals, wh at is the next component you should always remove before servicing any internal laptop components? Answer: The battery pack [EOC A HD] Thinking Critically 1. You disassemble and reassemble a desktop computer. When you first turn it on, you see no lights and hear no sounds. Nothing appears on the monitor screen. What is the most likely cause of the problem? Explain your answer. a. A memory module is not seated properly in a memory slot. b. You forgot to plug up the monitor’s external power cord. c. A wire in the case is obstru cting a fan. d. Power cords to the motherboard are not connected. Answer: d. Power cords to the motherboard are not connected. All the other answers would still cause the system to start the boot even though it might fail. If the motherboard is not getting power, it will not start the boot. 2. You are looking to buy a laptop on a budget and want to save money by not purchasing an extended service agreement with the manufacturer beyond the first year. What should you consider when choosing manufacturers to limit y our search? Which manufacturers would you choose and why? Answer: You want to be able to maintain and repair the laptop on your own after the warranty expires. You will need access to documentation and new parts. Consider that two manufac turers, Lenovo and Dell, provide their service manuals online free of charge. They also provide documentation about how their laptops are disassembled and options to purchase proprietary parts without first being an authorized service center. 3. 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 motherboard has failed and needs replacing. What is the first question you should ask yourself before performing the rep air? a. Will replacing the motherboard be more costly than purchasing a new laptop? b. Can you find a replacement motherboard? c. Can you find the service manual to show you how to replace the motherboard? d. Is the laptop still under warranty? Answers: All questions are good questions to ask before attempting the repair. The first question to ask is d. Is the laptop still under warranty ? Answers for Chapter 3 [B HD] Hands -on Project 3-2: Research the Intel ARK Database Intel provides an extensive database of all its processors, chipsets, motherboards, and other products at ark.intel.com . Research the database and answer these questions: 1. List three Fourth Generation Core i7 processors. For each processor, list the Process or Number (model) , the maximum memory it supports, the PCI Express version it supports (version 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0), and the socket it uses. 2. List three Intel motherboards for desktops : An ATX board, a microATX board, and a Mini -ITX board. For each mothe rboard, list the processor socket it provides, the chipset it uses, the maximum memory it supports, and the number of PCIe slots it has. 3. The X99 chipset is designed for gaming computers using the Core i7 processor. What is the launch date for the X99 chips ets? Answer: X99 chipset was launched in Q3 ’14 Find the block diagram for the X99 chipset and answer the following: 4. Which processor socket does the X99 chipset support? Answer: LGA2011 -v3 socket 5. Do PCI Express 3.0 graphics adapters connect directly to the processor or to the X99 chipset? Answer: To the processor 6. Do High -Speed USB ports connect directly to the processor or to the X99 chipset? Answer: To the X99 chipset [A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. What are the three most popular form factors used for motherboards? ATX, microATX, and Mini -ITX 2. Which type of Intel chipsets was the first to support the graphics controller to be part of the processor? Sandy Bridge or second generation chipsets 3. How many pins does the Intel Socket B have? What is another name for this socket? 1366 pins, LGA1366 4. What type of memory does the LGA1155 socket work with? Which socket was it designed to replace? DDR3 memory, LGA1156 5. Does the Sandy Bridge chipset family use two chipset housings on the motherboard or a single chipset housin g? The Nehalem chipset? A single chipset housing, two chipset housings 6. How many pins does the AMD socket AM3 have? 941 pins 7. Which part of a Nehalem chipset connects directly to the processor, the North Bridge or the South Bridge? The North Bridge 8. How does the throughput of PCI Express Version 3.0 compare to PCIe Version 2.0? PCIe Version 3.0 doubles the throughput of PCIe Version 2.0. 9. What is the maximum wattage that a PCIe Version 2.0 expansion card can draw? 300 watts 10. What type of power connector on the motherboard was introduced with PCIe Version 1.0? How much power does this connector provide? 6-pin PCIe connector, 75 watts 11. What type of power connector was introduced with PCIe Version 2.0? How much power does this connector provide? 8-pin PCIe conne ctor, 150 watts 12. If you are installing an expansion card into a case that does not have enough clearance above the motherboard for the card, what device can you use to solve the problem? A riser card 13. Which chip on the motherboard does Windows Bitlocker Encr yption use to secure the hard drive? TPM chip 14. How can you find out how many memory slots are populated on a motherboard without opening the computer case? View the information on a UEFI or BIOS setup screen 15. What are two reasons you might decide to flash BI OS? To add new features made available by the BIOS manufacturer or to attempt to solve problems with the motherboard 16. What is the easiest way to obtain the latest software to upgrade BIOS? Go to the website of the BIOS or motherboard manufacturer. 17. What can you do if the power -on password and the supervisor password to a system have been forgotten? Use the jumpers on the motherboard to reset the passwords 18. How is CMOS RAM powered when the system is unplugged? By the CMOS battery 19. Describe how you can access the BIOS setup program. By pressing certain keys (depending on the specific computer and BIOS program) during the boot process 20. Does Windows 7 support a secure boot in UEFI? Windows 8? Linux Ubuntu version 14? No. Yes. Yes 21. Which partitioning method must be used for partitioning a 4 TB hard drive? GPT 22. If a USB port on the motherboard is failing, what is one task you can do that might fix the problem? Go to the motherboard manufacturer website, download and install updated drivers. 23. What might the purpose be for a SATA -style power connector on a motherboard? To provide auxiliary power to PCIe cards 24. What is the purpose of inst alling standoffs or spacers between the motherboard and the case? So that components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case and cause a short 25. When installing a motherboard, suppose you forget to connect the wires from the case to the front pa nel header. Will you be able to power up the system? Why or why not? No, because the power button will not work until the power wire is connected to the motherboard. [A HD] Thinking Critically 1. Why don’t all buses on a motherboard operate at the same speed? Becau se not all devices to which the buses are connected transmit data at the same speed. The speeds of different hardware components are evolving at different rates. 2. When you turn off the power to a computer and unplug it at night, it loses the date, and you m ust reenter it each morning. What is the problem and how do you solve it? The CMOS battery is dead and needs replacing. 3. Why do you think the trend is to put more control such as the graphics controller and the memory controller in the processor rather than in the chipset? Possible answer: Because the processor is faster than the chipset 4. When troubleshooting a desktop motherboard, you discover the network port no longer works. What is the best and least expensive solution to this problem? If this solution does not work, which solution should you try next? a. Replace the motherboard b. Disable the network port and install a network card in an expansion slot. c. Use a wireless network device in a USB port to connect to a wireless network. d. Return the motherboa rd to the factory for repair. e. Update the motherboard drivers. All the above solutions might be possible. The least expensive and simplest solution is e. Update the motherboard drivers. If that doesn’t work, choose b. Disable the network port and install a network card in an expansion slot. 5. A computer freezes at odd times. At first you suspect the power supply or overheating, but you have eliminated overheating and replaced the power supply without solving the problem. What do you do next? a. Replace the proce ssor b. Replace the motherboard c. Reinstall Windows d. Replace the memory modules e. Flash BIOS Try the simple and least expensive things first: (e) Flash BIOS Chapter 4 Solutions [EOC A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. Who are the two major manufacturers of processors? Answer: Intel, AMD 2. What is the name of the memory cache that is on the same die as the processor? Answer: L1 cache 3. What is the name of the memory cache that is closest to the processor die but is not housed on the die? Answer: L2 cache 4. What is the name of the Intel technology that allows a processor to handle two threads at the same time? Answer: Hyper -Threading 5. How many threads can a quad -core processor handle a t once? Answer: Eight 6. Which two Intel processor sockets use a screw head to hold down the socket load plate? Answer: Sockets LGA1150 and LGA1155 7. What is the purpose of Execute Disable Bit? Answer: EDB is a security measure built into the processor. It work s with the operating system to designate non -executable memory in order to prevent malware from executing. 8. Which is faster, SRAM or DRAM? Why? Answer: SRAM, because it does not need to be refreshed 9. How many pins are on a DDR3 DIMM? DDR2 DIMM? Answer: For D DR3 DIMM, 240 pins. For DDR2 DIMM, 240 pins. 10. How many pins are on a DDR DIMM? Answer: For DDR DIMM, 184 pins. 11. How many notches does a DDR3 DIMM have? Answer: One 12. Which DIMM performs better, a double -sided dual -ranked DIMM or a double -sided single - ranked DIMM? Answer: A double -sided single -ranked DIMM 13. What prevents a DDR DIMM from being installed in a DDR2 DIMM slot on a motherboard? Answer: The position of the one notch on the DIMM module 14. Which module, a DDR3 or DDR2 DIMM, uses lower voltage ? Answer: DDR3 DIMM 15. In a memory ad for DIMMs, you notice 64Meg ×72 for one DIMM and 64Meg ×64 for another DIMM. What does the 72 tell you about the first DIMM? Answer: The first DIMM supports ECC technology for error checking 16. What type of DIMM supports tri ple channeling? Answer: DDR3 DIMM 17. If two bits of a byte are in error when the byte is read from ECC memory, can ECC detect the error? Can it fix the error? Answer: Yes, No 18. A DIMM memory ad displays 5 -5-5-15. What is the CAS Latency value of this DIMM? Answ er: CL5 19. What is the most amount of RAM that can be used by a 32 -bit installation of Windows 7 Professional? Answer: 4 GB 20. A motherboard uses dual channeling, but you have four DIMMs available that differ in size. The motherboard supports all four sizes. Can you install these DIMMs on the board? Will dual channeling be enabled? Answer: Yes, the DIMMs will work on the board, but dual channeling will not be enabled. 21. How many pins does a DDR3 SO -DIMM have? A DDR2 SO -DIMM? Answer: 204 pins, 200 pins 22. Which is faster, CL3 memory or CL5 memory? Answer: CL3 is faster than CL5 memory 23. You are looking to purchase two DIMMs running at 400 MHz. You find DIMMs advertised at PC4000 and PC3200. Which do you purchase? Answer: PC3200 24. You need to find out how much RAM is ins talled in a system. What command do you execute to launch the System Information utility? Answer: Msinfo32.exe 25. Although ECC memory costs more than non -ECC memory, why would you choose to use it? Which type of computer typically requires ECC memory? Answer: ECC memory is more reliable than non -ECC memory. A server. [EOC A HD] Thinking Critically 1. You need to upgrade memory in a system but you don’t have the motherboard documentation available. You open the case and notice that the board has four DIMM slots; three slots are colored yellow and one slot is black. What type of DIMM does the board likely use? How can you be sure? Answer: The three yellow slots probably indicate triple channeling, which means the board uses DDR3 DIMMs. To know for sure, remove a DIMM and look for the position of the notch on the DIMM or the label on the DIMM. 2. If your motherboard supports DIMM memory, will RIMM memory still work on the board? Answer: No, you can only use the type of memory module the board is designed to support. 3. If your motherb oard supports ECC DDR3 memory, can you substitute non -ECC DDR3 memory? Answer: Yes. You can substitute non -ECC memory on an ECC board, and the error -checking feature will be shown disabled in BIOS setup. 4. You have just upgraded memory on a computer from 1 GB to 2 GB by adding one DIMM. When you first turn on the PC, the memory count shows only 1 GB. Select which of the following is most likely the source of the problem. What can you do to fix it? a. Windows is giving an error because it likely became corrupte d while the computer was disassembled. b. The new DIMM you installed is faulty. c. The new DIMM is not properly seated. d. The DIMM is installed in the wrong slot. Answer: (c) The new DIMM is not properly seated. Turn off the PC and reseat the DIMM. Check that the DIMM is standing in the slot at the same height of the other DIMM installed. 5. Your motherboard supports dual channeling and you currently have two slots used in Channel A on the board; each module holds 1 GB. You want to install an additional 1 GB of RAM. Will your system run faster if you install two 512 MB DIMMs or one 1 GB DIMM? Explain your answer. Answer: The system will run faster if you install two DIMMs because dual channeling can be used if both Channel B slots are filled. Dual channeling is fas ter than single channeling. Chapter 5 Solutions [A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. What are the two major components of a processor cooler assembly? Heat sink and fan 2. How many pins does the CPU fan header on a motherboard have? 4 pins 3. If the power connector from the CPU fan has only three pins, it can still connect to the 4 - pin header, but what functionality is lost? Adjustable speed control of the fan to lessen the noise in the system 4. How do you determine the wattage capacity needed by a power supply? Add up all wattage requirements for al l devices that will use the power supply and then add an additional 30 percent 5. Which one component in a high -end gaming computer is likely to draw the most power? The video card 6. When you first turn on a computer and you don’t hear a spinning drive or fan o r see indicator lights, is the problem hardware or software related? Hardware related 7. What is a Windows error message called that appears on a blue screen? The blue screen of death or BSOD 8. How many beeps does startup UEFI/BIOS give to indicate a successful POST? One beep or no beeps 9. Which two components in a system might give out a loud whining noise? The power supply and hard drive 10. What Windows utility can you use to test RAM? Memory Diagnostics 11. Which Windows tool is best to use to verify that hardware com ponents installed in Windows are working properly? Device Manager 12. What is the purpose of standoffs installed between the bottom of the case and the motherboard? To protect the motherboard against a short 13. If a system hangs after being used for several hours and you suspect overheating, what can you do to easily monitor the CPU and system temperature? Install temperature monitoring software such as SpeedFan. 14. What are two reasons to tie cables up and out of the way inside a computer case? So they don’t block airflow across the processor or get in the way of fans turning. 15. Why should a tower case not sit on thick carpet? The carpet might prevent good air flow 16. For most computer cases, does air flow from front to rear or rear to front? Air flows from f ront to rear 17. Which type of CPU cooler contains heat pipes? Fanless/passive CPU cooler 18. What can you do if a port on the motherboard is faulty and a device requires this type of port? Disable the port in BIOS and install an expansion card to provide the same type port or connector 19. What can you do to stop a computer from repeatedly restarting in a continuous loop? Press F8 to load the Advanced Boot Options menu. Then select Disable automatic restarts on system failure 20. When a cell phone overheats, why is it im portant to find out whether the heat is coming from the bottom of the phone or from other areas of the phone? Heat coming from the bottom of the phone indicate the battery is overheating. Heat coming from other areas of the phone indicate the phone itself is overheating. [A HD] Thinking Critically 1. How much power is consumed by a load drawing 5 A with 120 V across it? 600 watts 2. 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? a. 250 watts b. 1000 watts c. 700 watts d. 150 watts Answer: c. 700 watts 3. You upgrade a faulty PCIe video card to a recently -released higher -performing card. Now the user complains that Windows 8 hangs a lot and gives errors. Which is the most likely source of the problem? Which is the least likely source? a. Overheating b. Windows does not support the new ca rd c. The drivers for the card need updating d. Memory is faulty Answer: The most likely source is (c) The drivers for the card need updating. Since the card is recently released, it’s unlikely that Windows 8 does not support the card. Therefore, the least likely source of the problem is (b) Windows does not support the new card. 4. What should you immediately do if you turn on a computer and smell smoke or a burning odor? a. Unplug the computer b. Dial 911 c. Find a fire extinguisher d. Press a key on the keyboard to enter BIO S setup Answer: a. Unplug the computer 5. When you boot up a computer and hear a single beep, but the screen is blank, what can you assume is the source of the problem? a. The video card or onboard video b. The monitor or monitor cable c. Windows startup d. The processo r Answer: b. The monitor or monitor cable 6. You suspect that a power supply is faulty, but you use a power supply tester to measure its voltage output and find it to be acceptable. Why is it still possible that the power supply may be faulty? Answer: Because the problem with the power supply might be intermittent 7. Someone asks you for help with a computer that hangs at odd times. You turn it on and work for about 15 minutes, and then the computer freezes and powers down. What do you do first? a. Replace the surge protector. b. Replace the power supply. c. Wait about 30 minutes for the system to cool down and try again. d. Install an additional fan. Answer: c. Wait about 30 minutes for the system to cool down and try again. [EOC A HD] Reviewing the Basics 1. What three types of technologies are used inside hard drives? Answer: Solid state drives, magnetic drives, and hybrid drives 2. At what three speeds in revolutions per minute might the spindle inside a hard drive rotate? Answer: 5400, 7200, and 10,000 RPM 3. When the OS addresses the sectors on a hard drive as one long list of sequential sectors, what is this technology called? Answer: Logical block addressing (LBA) 4. What is the transfer speed for SATA I? SATA II? SATA III? Answer: 1.5 Gb/sec, 3 Gb/sec, 16 Gb/sec 5. How many pins does a SATA internal data cable have? How many pins does a SATA power cable have? Answer: 7 pins, 15 pins 6. What term describes the technology that allows you to exchange a hard drive without powering down the syst em? Answer: Hot-swapping or hot -plugging 7. Which RAID level mirrors one hard drive with a second drive so that the same data is written to both drives? Answer: RAID 1 8. Which RAID level stripes data across multiple drives to improve performance and also provid es fault tolerance? Answer: RAID 5 9. How many hard drives are necessary to implement RAID 10? Answer: Four 10. When implementing RAID on a motherboard, where do you enable the feature? Answer: In UEFI/BIOS setup 11. What type of file system is used by Blu -ray discs? Answer: UDF 12. What type of file system is used by SDXC memory cards? Answer: exFAT 13. How much data can a CD hold? Answer: 700 MB 14. How much data can a double -sided, dual -layer DVD hold? Answer: Advertised as 17 GB but actually 15.90 GB 15. How much data can a double -sided, single -layer BD hold? Answer: 25 GB 16. Which costs more, a CD -R or a CD -RW disc? Answer: CD -RW 17. Which type of flash memory card is currently the smallest type of card? Answer: MicroSD, also the same size as MicroSDHC and MicroSDXC 18. What command -prompt command do you use to determine if a drive has bad sectors?