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A+ > 220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting > Flashcards

220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 6 steps to resolve problems?

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

What are the steps for “Identify the problem”

A

Gather information from the user, identify user changes and, if applicable, perform backups before making changes.
Inquire regarding environmental or infrastructure changes

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3
Q

Most moden PCs have three common POST beep codes. What are they?

A
  1. bad or missing video: one long beep followed by two or three short beeps
  2. bad or missing ram: a single beep that repeats indefinitely
  3. end of successful POST: one to two short beeps
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4
Q

How does Power-on self-test (POST) work?

A
  1. POST program checks out the system on boot
  2. Each device runs own built-in diagnostic
  3. beep codes can vary amongst BIOS manufacturer
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5
Q

If your POST card has no reading upon boot, what must be the problem?

A

CPU, RAM or motherboard

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6
Q

What does CompTIA call BSOD and Pinwheel of death?

A

Proprietary crash screens

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7
Q

What is the technical term for BSOD?

A

Windows Stop error

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8
Q

What does the spinning pinwheel of death indicate?

A

lockup

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9
Q

What most likely occurred if your computer suddenly restarts?

A

Kenel panic

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10
Q

What does proprietary crash screens in general indicate?

A

a catastrophic error has occurred

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11
Q

What are the six general causes of proprietary crash screens?

A
  1. bad RAM or loose ram
  2. Faulty components
  3. Buggy device driver (very common)
  4. Buggy application software
  5. Slight corruption of the operating system
  6. Power supply problems
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12
Q

T/F: CPUs commonly cause proprietary crash screens

A

False: for CPUs, this is very rare

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13
Q

What are the five steps for proprietary crash screen troubleshooting?

A
  1. Look at the BSOD to see any information it may provide
  2. check, replace, verify good component (and document)
  3. if it is a motherboard, replace it
  4. if components are damaged because of ESD, replace the motherboard
  5. sometimes can be fixed with a firmware update
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14
Q

What are the six troubleshooting steps for a blank screen?

A
  1. confirm monitor is plugged in, turned on and properly connected
  2. see if it comes back on after a reboot
  3. try connecting the monitor to another system
  4. if narrowed down to computer, possibly hardware is misconfigured, misconnected or not working
  5. Try removing any recently added hardware
  6. if you are hearing or seeing any POST codes, follow those troubleshooting procedure
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15
Q

What are the 4 troubleshooting steps for “no power”?

A
  1. make sure wall socket is getting electricity, computer is plugged in, surge suppressors are turned on and the power cord is properly plugged into the computer.
  2. open the system and verify that the CPU and motherboard cables are connected
  3. look for indicator lights on the motherboard. No indicators indicate bad power supply
  4. make sure the front-panel button is connected properly
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16
Q

What are the three trouleshooting steps for hardware related sluggishness?

A
  1. if it happens after installing new hardware, disconned the new device and uninstall the associated driver
  2. check for causes of overheating
  3. try replace hardware with known good components
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17
Q

What is the most likely solution for system sluggishness?

A

More RAM

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18
Q

What are the three troubleshooting steps for non-CPU overheating?

A
  1. ensure computer is well ventilated
  2. check other sources of heat
  3. check the fans
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19
Q

What are the 5 likely causes of CPU overheating?

A
  1. too much thermal paste
  2. not enough thermal paste or paste unevenly spread
  3. failure to connect fan to motherboard
  4. inadequate ventilation
  5. clogged fans
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20
Q

How does the power supply factor into ventillation?

A

The PSU fan is an integral part of cooling the PSU circuits, but also the rest of the computer.

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21
Q

What are the six steps when you smell burning from a computer?

A
  1. disconnect the system from power ASAP
  2. don’t open the case if actively smoking
  3. move hand around without touching anything to identify any hot spots
  4. dust the computer, break it down, and visually inspect every component
  5. If the burning comes from the motherboard or motherboard component, replace the entire motherboard
  6. If the burning smell is coming from a power supply, unplug the system and replace with new power supply
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22
Q

T/F: If you lose a component to ESD, it is recommended to just replace that component.

A

False: If you lose a component due to ESD, it is recommended to replace the motherboard

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23
Q

What are the 5 troubleshooting steps for intermittent shutdown

A
  1. check for overheating
  2. check for BSoD
  3. upgrade to new firmware or regress to older firmware as necessary
  4. may be caused by slowly failing hardware
  5. try replacing hardware with known good components
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24
Q

What are 4 common causes of application crashes?

A

Video cards, overheating, loose connectors and RAM

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25
Q

What are the two most common causes of grinding noises?

A

fans and magnetic hard drives

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26
Q

What are the common causes of capacitor swelling?

A

age, overcurrent and design or manufacturing defects

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27
Q

What is the best solution for capacitor swelling?

A

send motherboard off for service

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28
Q

What is the common cause of inaccurate system date/time?

A

dead CMOS battery

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29
Q

What is the solution for inaccurate system date/time due to dead CMOS battery?

A

replace CMOS battery and reset time in system setup utility

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30
Q

What are the 10 common symptoms of storage drives and RAID array problems?

A
  1. Light-emitting diode (LED) status indicators
  2. Grinding noises
  3. Clicking sounds
  4. Bootable device not found
  5. Data loss/corruption
  6. RAID failure
  7. Self-monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) failure
  8. Extended read/write times
  9. Change in Input/output operations per second (IOPS)
  10. Missing drives in OS
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31
Q

What can storage drive LED status indicators tell you?

A

can help diagnose a hard drive problem

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32
Q

What do grinding and clicking sounds tell you about a storage drive?

A

that a drive is failing

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33
Q

What causes the Bootable device not found error?

A

when the drive fails that contains your OS

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34
Q

What are the two troubleshooting steps for the Bootable device not found error?

A
  1. looking for the drive in the live setup environment
  2. remove the data cable and listen for HDD to spin up
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35
Q

What 4 things causes data loss/corruption?

A

power surges, accidental shutdowns, corrupted installation media, and viruses

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36
Q

What problems does data loss/corruption cause?

A

all sorts of errors

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37
Q

What is the solution for data loss/corruption?

A

run the error checking utility

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38
Q

What are the 3 common RAID failures?

A
  1. Drive Not Recognized
  2. RAID Stops Working
  3. RAID Not Found
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39
Q

What is the solution for Drive Not Recognized raid failure?

A

check that the drives are powered and connected to the proper connections

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40
Q

What is the solution for RAID Stops Working raid failure?

A
  1. replace the failed drive and let the RAID rebuilt itself
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41
Q

What are indicators for RAID Stops Working raid failure?

A
  1. With RAID 0, you will probably get a proprietary crash screen followed by a missing drive error on reboot
  2. All other levels of RAID will give you an error upon boot; Performance may suffer
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42
Q

What is the cause for RAID not found?

A

most likely a bad RAID controller

43
Q

What is the cause for extended read/write times?

A

by a connection to a file being interrupted or terminated, possibly from a failing drive

44
Q

What are the two causes for missing drives in OS?

A
  1. failing to make a partition or wrong size or type of partition
  2. could also indicate a failing hard drive
45
Q

What is the troubleshooting step if a display doesn’t show anything?

A

flip through video sources

46
Q

What is the troubleshooting steps for projector fuzzy image?

A

projector lens may be dirty or out of focus

47
Q

What is a pixel that never lights up?

A

dead pixel

48
Q

What is a pixel that is stuck on pure white?

A

lit pixel

49
Q

What is a pixel that is always a certain color?

A

stuck pixel

50
Q

What are the five troubleshooting steps for a flashing screen?

A
  1. check for physical cabling issues first and the connectors are seated properly
  2. try another cable
  3. double check ports for debris or damage
  4. try a shorter cable
  5. try connecting the display to another system for troubleshooting
51
Q

What is the troubleshooting step for projector incorrect color display?

A

a LCP or DLP component has failed and the projector will need service or replacement

52
Q

What are the 3 troubleshooting steps for audio issues?

A
  1. make sure the correct output device is selected, isn’t muted, and the volume is up
  2. ensure the devices are cabled properly
  3. keep in mind VGA and DVI cables won’t carry sound and some displays don’t have speakers
53
Q

What are the 3 troubleshooting steps for LCD dim image?

A
  1. possibly dead or dying backlight
  2. check brightness settings. With laptops, usually tied to a FN key
  3. check power saving settings
54
Q

What is the troubleshooting step for intermittent projector shutdown?

A

typically heat related as a heat-related shutdown. Check for clogged fans

55
Q

What are the four troubleshooting steps for laptop poor battery health?

A
  1. the device has a setting that limits how much charge the battery can hold to preserve lifespan
  2. the battery might be damaged
  3. the AC adapter isn’t doing its job (also known as improper charging)
  4. try removing the battery and see if the laptop will power on w/ AC adapter
56
Q

What are the 4 troubleshooting steps for mobile device poor battery health?

A
  1. check whether anything is using a high amount of battery
  2. If charger didn’t come with device, it may not be able to provide enough power
  3. check for cable wear
  4. lastly, try charging from another outlet
57
Q

What are five indicators of a laptop swollen battery?

A
  1. early symptoms might be a laptop that doesn’t sit right on flat surfaces
  2. screen that doesn’t fit flush when closed
  3. problems with input devices like the trackpad or keyboard
  4. trouble removing or inserting a removable battery
  5. device case obviously deformed
58
Q

What are indicators of a mobile device swollen battery?

A
  1. how the devices frame and screen come together
  2. how it sits on a flat surface
  3. how the back cover sits on the device
  4. weird creaking or popping
  5. inexplicable heat
  6. remove cover and check battery
59
Q

How do you prevent mobile device swollen battery?

A
  1. don’t let battery overheat when charging
  2. prefer OEM chargers and batteries
60
Q

What do you do with a swollen battery?

A

carefully delivery the device/battery to an e-waste recycling or disposal site

61
Q

T/F: A broken screen doesn’t require the glass itself to be cracked. Drops can damage internal components.

A

True

62
Q

What are the 6 troubleshooting steps for Wifi poor/no connectivity?

A
  1. check for airplane mode switches
  2. also check notification area for an airplane icon
  3. if tech had recently worked on display, could be a disconnected antenna
  4. try special key combination to turn the adapter on
  5. may be out of range
  6. overloaded network
63
Q

What are the 5 troubleshooting steps for Bluetooth poor/no connectivity?

A
  1. check for airplane mode switches
  2. also check notification area for an airplane icon
  3. try special key combination to turn the adapter on
  4. may be out of range
  5. check that device is paired
64
Q

What are the 4 troubleshooting steps for GPS poor/no connectivity?

A
  1. check for airplane mode switches
  2. also check notification area for an airplane icon
  3. Privacy options may be a problem.
  4. weak mobile signal, move to better location
65
Q

What are the 3 troubleshooting steps for NFC poor/no connectivity?

A
  1. check for airplane mode switches
  2. also check notification area for an airplane icon
  3. May need to enable a setting to enable communication with nearby devices
66
Q

What are the 6 troubleshooting steps for cellular poor/no connectivity?

A
  1. check for airplane mode switches
  2. also check notification area for an airplane icon
  3. try special key combination to turn the adapter on
  4. weak mobile signal, move to better location
  5. overloaded network
  6. carrier limits: roaming and data usage limits
67
Q

What are indiciators a user is going over carrier limits?

A

carrier notifies user by email or text, but user may not notice

68
Q

If a mobile device’s touch screen isn’t responding properly, and other methods of troubleshooting is complete, what should you finally check for?

A

Water damage

69
Q

How can you check a mobile device for water damage?

A

Most mobile devices will contain a few liquid contact indicators (LCI) stickers that change color when exposed to water

70
Q

What 6 remedial steps should you take if your mobile device/laptops is very hot?

A
  1. if device is dangerously hot: power the device down and remove the battery if possible
  2. look for possible signs a device is overheating like inconsistent reboots, graphical glitches, system beeps
  3. listen for fans if there is supposed to be one running
  4. look for dust buildup in the laptop
  5. check for runaway applications
  6. if entire device is hot and it was in direct sunlight or hot environment, remove the device from the hot environment
71
Q

What is the remedial steps for mobile device/laptops accidental touches?

A

check how the user holds it and give corrections

72
Q

What is the remedial steps for moble device/laptops dirty screen?

A

wipe the screen with a dry microfiber cloth

73
Q

What is the 2 remedial steps for mobile device/laptops digitizer unresponsiveness?

A

touchscreen may not be responsive if the phone is slow or locked up
check for hardware button responsiveness and do a soft reset

74
Q

What is the remedial step for other mobile device/laptops digitizer issues?

A

look online for information about whether a device has a hidden diagnostics menu or service menu

75
Q

What are the remedial steps for physically damaged ports?

A
  1. try another charger to make sure the port is damaged
  2. send to repair center
76
Q

What are 3 considerations for mobile device malware

A
  1. Malware is rare
  2. third party antivirus exists for Android
  3. in heterogenous real-world infrastructure, protection is difficult due to the wide variety of devices
77
Q

What is the most important mobile device/laptops enterprise-level anti-malware solution?

A

delivering timely update to devices on a routine basis

78
Q

How do you keep mobile devices/laptops up to date in the enterprise environment

A
  1. Network Access Control (NAC) solutions can ensure a device is checked for the latest anti-malware and update as necessary
  2. With user-managed devices, use a combo of policy, NAC and other technical solutions
79
Q

How do you resolve the laser printer issue lines down the printed pages?

A

try shaking the toner cartridge to dislodge a clog
try replacing the toner cartridge

80
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue garbled print?

A
  1. most likely a corrupted or incorrect driver
  2. first, try rebooting the printer
  3. check that you aren’t mixing postscript and PCL drivers with the wrong printer
  4. lastly, check for a cable or power issue
81
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue toner not fusing to paper (2)?

A
  1. use a lighter-weight paper
  2. replace the fuser
82
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue paper jams (4)?

A
  1. check that paper is properly aligned
  2. dirty rollers can cause jams
  3. refer to manufacturer’s jam removal procedures
  4. if printer reports a jam, but not paper inside, certainly an issue with jam sensor
83
Q

How do you resolve the laser & impact printer issue faded print?

A

impact printer: if ribbon is good, try adjusting printhead closer to the platen
- if print is ok on one side but fades as you move to the other, the platen is out of alignment
laser printer
- may be running out of toner
- try printing a diagnostic page
- check the imaging drum. If image is still there, transfer corona or power supply has failed

84
Q

How do you resolve the laser printer issue stalled print job?

A

simple reason for a stalled print job is incorrect paper size. the printer is waiting for the correct paper

85
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue paper not feeding (5)?

A
  1. might need to clean (or even replace) your printer’s pick-up rollers
  2. check the printer is configured to use the tray you’re expecting it to use
  3. make sure try isn’t overfilled and confirm the paper there is well aligned, positioned and not ripped/bent
  4. See if the print settings are correct for the paper
  5. if tray has adjustable guides, check to make sure they aren’t too tight
86
Q

How do you resolve the inkjet printer issue multipage misfeed?

A

humidity can cause sheets of paper to cling to each other. Heat can also cause paper to cling

87
Q

How do you resolve the impact & laser printer issue speckling on printed page?

A
  1. impact printer: platen is dirty. clean platen with denatured alcohol.
  2. laser printer: clean the printer
88
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue printer Double/echo images?

A

when the imaging drum has not fully discharged. Also can be caused by a worn-out cleaning blade

89
Q

How do you resolve the inkjet & laser printer issue printer grinding noise (2)?

A
  1. realign the paper in the paper feeder
  2. may need to look at rollers to see if they need some cleaning
90
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue printer staple jams?

A

open up stapling mailbox, remove the stapler cartridge and any jammed staples and insert the cartridge back into stapling mailbox

91
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue printer hole punch?

A
  1. may be compatability issues when you combine printing options
  2. also, feeding the paper in horizontally sometimes causes issues
92
Q

How do you resolve the printer issue printer incorrect page orientation?

A

check printer settings | printing preferences | orientation and select which page orientation you would prefer before print

93
Q

What is the most likely cause of intermittent wireless connectivity?

A

low signal strength

94
Q

How do you optimize wi-fi coverage

A
  1. you can install multiple WAPs to permit “roaming”
  2. check for interference from solid objects and other wireless devices
95
Q

How do you resolve the network problem slow network speeds (5)?

A
  1. may be weak signal
  2. perhaps too many devices on the network, especially ones with older devices
  3. could be that network is overloaded
  4. can use netstat to see open connections
  5. can use quality of service to prioritize certain connections
96
Q

What is indicated by the network problem limited connectivity?

A

typically points to no DHCP server connection

97
Q

How do you resolve the network problem jitter?

A

Assess both with tools such as ping, tracert/traceroute and pathping

98
Q

How do you resolve the network problem poor voice over internet protocol (VOIP) quality (7)?

A
  1. most voip providers have a dashboard you can log in and see call statistics
  2. voip problems can be on the other end of the call
  3. a voip phone swapout may fix the issue
  4. if conversations have high delay, check for high latency
  5. if audio is choppy or distorted, check jitter
  6. if audio quality is really low, check for congestion or whether you have enough bandwidth
  7. check for QoS in favor of VoIP
99
Q

How do you resolve the network problem port flapping?

A

you may need to replace the cable, NIC or switch

100
Q

What is port flapping?

A

port flapping is when a connection on a switch or NIC port repeatedly goes up or down

101
Q

How do you resolve the wireless network problem external interference?

A

try changing wireless frequency

102
Q

Which troubleshooting step has you conduct external or internal research based on symptoms, if necessary?

A

Establish a theory of probably cause

103
Q

During the “test the theory” troubleshooting step, what do you do if the theory is not confirmed?

A

re-establish a new theory or escalate

104
Q

During troubleshooting, what do you to if your theory is confirmed?

A

determine the next steps to resolve the problem

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