A+ IT Essentials Quiz 4

Question 1

Which task should be performed on a hard drive as part of a preventive maintenance plan?

Answer 1

Ensure cables are firmly connected.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Storage device problems are often related to loose or incorrect cable connections.

Question 2

An employee mentions that opening a large document file is taking longer than usual. The desktop support technician suspects that there might be a fault in the hard disk. What should the technician do next?

Answer 2

Back up the user data from the workstation.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Always perform a backup before beginning any troubleshooting.

Question 3

What are two effects of not having a preventive maintenance plan for users and organizations?

Answer 3

increased repair costs
increased downtime

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Having a preventive maintenance plan in place can lead to improved reliability, performance, and efficiency in the IT infrastructure. If a preventive maintenance plan is not in place, it can often lead to issues that will cause infrastructure downtime and significant repair costs. A preventive maintenance plan helps ensure that these costly issues are handled before they become a problem.

Question 4

A user has opened a ticket that indicates that the computer clock keeps losing the correct time. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

Answer 4

The CMOS battery is loose or failing.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
The CMOS battery holds the saved system BIOS settings, including the correct date and time. If the CMOS battery is dead or not connected properly, those settings can be lost.

Question 5

Which task should be part of a hardware maintenance routine?

Answer 5

Check for and secure any loose cables.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Hardware maintenance tasks include these procedures:
• Remove dust from fan intakes;
• Remove dust from power supply;
• Remove dust from components found inside the computer;
• Clean mouse and keyboard;
• Check for and secure any loose cables.
Maintenance tasks like defragmenting a disk or scanning a hard drive for errors are part of a software maintenance routine.

Question 6

A scientific expedition team is using laptops for their work. The temperatures where the scientists are working range from -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degree Celsius) to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). The humidity level is around 40 percent. Noise levels are low, but the terrain is rough and winds can reach 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour). When needed, the scientists stop walking and enter the data using the laptop. Which condition is most likely to adversely affect a laptop that is used in this environment?

Answer 6

the temperature

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Even though laptops are normally manufactured to operate within a wide range of temperatures, the lower temperature is below freezing and not an optimal environment.

Question 7

What is the most important reason for a company to ensure that computer preventive maintenance is done?

Answer 7

Preventive maintenance helps to protect the computer equipment against future problems.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Preventive maintenance includes tasks such as cleaning the device, which can prolong the life of the device.

Question 8

After a problem is identified, what is the next step for the troubleshooter?

Answer 8

Establish a theory of probable causes.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
The steps of the troubleshooting process.
Step 1. Identify the problem.
Step 2. Establish a theory of probable cause.
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 preventive measures.
Step 6. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 9

What task should be completed before escalating a problem to a higher-level technician?

Answer 9

Document each test that was tried.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Before escalating a ticket, document each test that has been performed. Information about the tests is vital if the problem needs to be escalated to another technician.

Question 10

A customer reports that recently several files cannot be accessed. The service technician decides to check the hard disk status and the file system structure. The technician asks the customer if a backup has been performed on the disk and the customer replies that the backup was done a week ago to a different logical partition on the disk. What should the technician do before performing diagnostic procedures on the disk?

Answer 10

Back up the user data to a removable drive

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Always perform a backup before beginning any troubleshooting. Even though the data was backed up to a different partition, the data is still on the same hard drive. If the drive crashes, the data might not be recoverable.

Question 11

Which cleaning tool should be used to remove dust from components inside a computer case?

Answer 11

compressed air

Answers Explanation & Hints:
To remove dust inside a computer, use a can of compressed air.

Question 12

Which step in the troubleshooting process is important to help avoid repeating repair processes that were performed previously?

Answer 12

documentation of the problem and its solution

Question 13

What is a symptom of a failing power supply?

Answer 13

The computer sometimes does not turn on.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
A failing power supply could also cause a computer to reboot unexpectedly. If the power cord does not attach properly, then it is likely that the wrong type of power cord is being used.

Question 14

Which procedure is recommended when cleaning inside a computer?

Answer 14

Hold the CPU fan to prevent it from spinning and blow it with compressed air.

Answers Explanation & Hints:
Hold the fan blades in place when you clean the inside of the computer with compressed air to prevent over-spinning the rotor or moving the fan in the wrong direction.