Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Managing and Maintaining Your PC > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is another name for the computer case?

A

chassis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What 8 items does the computer case house?

A

power supply motherboard processor memory module expansion cards hard drive other drives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Describe a tower case and the benefits of it?

A

A tower case sits upright and can be as high as two feet and has room for several drives. This type of case is good for PC users who anticipate upgrading because it provides maximum space for working inside and moving components.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the description of a desktop case?

A

This case lies flat and sometimes serves double-duty as monitor stand.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why should you not lie a desktop case on its end?

A

It is designed to lie flat because the CD or DVD drive might not work properly.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a VGA (Video Graphics Array) port?

A

This is also called a DB-15 port. It is a 15-pin female port that transmits analog video. All older monitors use VGA ports.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a S-Video Port?

A

This port is a 4-pin or 7-pin round video port sometimes used to connect to a television. The 7-pin port is shown. The for pin port is missing the extra pins in the middle and is the more common type.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a DVI (Digital Video Interface) port?

A

This port transmits digital or analog video. Three types of DVI ports exist.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) port?

A

Transmits digital video and audio (not analog transmissions) and is often used to connect to home theater equipment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a DisplayPort?

A

It transmits digital video and audio (not analog transmissions) and is often used to connect to home theater equipment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a Thunderbolt port?

A

It transmits both video

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are two other names for a network port?

A

Ethernet port

RJ-45

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a network port?

A

This is used by a network cable to connect to the wired network.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How fast does a fast Ethernet port run?

A

100 Mbps (megabits per second)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How fast does a Gigabit Ethernet run?

A

1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps (gigabit per second)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the difference between a megabit and a gigabit?

A

A megabit is 1 million bits and a gigabit is 1 billion bits.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a bit?

A

A binary value of one or zero.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How many audio ports are there usually in a system?

A

3 or more

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What’s another name for audio ports?

A

sound ports

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Does a stereo need to have an audio in, audio out, or both?

A

audio out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Does a microphone need to have an audio in, audio out, or both?

A

both

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

If you only have one audio cable to conect to a speaker or ear buds, which on do you plug it into?

A

The lime green soound port in the middle of the three ports.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is a S/PDIF (Sony-Philips Digital Interface) sound port?

A

It connects to an external home theater audio system, providing digital audio output and the best signal quality?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is a serial port and what is it sometimes called?

A

It is sometimes called a DB9

It is a 9-male port used on older computers. It has been mostly replaced by USB ports.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port?

A

A multi purpose I/O port used by many different devices, including printers, mice, keyboards, scanners, external hard drives, and flash drives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What are the three difference USB speeds and which order do they go in from slowest to fastest?

A

Regular USB

Hi-Speed USB 2.0

Super-Speed USB 3.0

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is a FireWire port used for?

A

It is used for high-speed multimedia devices such as digital camcorders.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is another name for a FireWire port?

A

IEEE1394 port

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What uses an external SATA (eSATA) port?

A

This port is used by an external hard drive using the eSATA interface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Which is faster, an eSATA or a FireWire?

A

eSATA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What is a PS/2 port, also called a mini-DIN port?

A

This is a round 6-pin port used by a keyboard or mouse.

Newer computers use USB ports for the keyboard and mouse rather than older PS/2 ports

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

On a PC, what is the purple PS/2 port for?

A

keyboard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

On a PC, what is the green PS/2 port for?

A

mouse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What is a parallel port?

A

It is a 25-female port used by older printers. This older port has been replace by USB ports

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What is another name for a modem port?

What is a modem port?

A

It is also called a RJ-11 port.

It is used to connecct dial-up phone lines to computers. A modem port looks like a network port but is not as wide.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Label inside a computer case

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What are the main components installed in the computer case called?

A

internal components

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What are other names for the motherboard?

A

mainboard, system board

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What is the motherboard?

A

This is the largest and most important circuit board in the computer. The motherboard contains a socket to hold the processor or CPU.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

What is the CPU (central processing unit)? and what are two other names for the CPU?

A

This does most of the processing of data and instructions for the entire system.

Other names for the CPU are processor or microprocessor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What is a heat sink?

A

A heat sink consist of metal fins that draw heat away from a component

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What can be installed on top of a CPU to keep it cool?

A

A fan or a heat sink.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

The fan and heat sink together are called what?

A

processor cooler

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Why are all hardware components either located on the motherboard or directly or indirectly connected to it?

A

Because all of the hardware must communicate with the CPU.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

What are expansion card?

A

Also called adapter cards.

This is a circuit board that provides more ports than those provided by the motherboard.

The trend today is for more ports in a system to be provided by the motherboard (called onboard ports) and less use of expansion cards.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

What is DIMM (dual inline memory module)?

A

Memory slots to hold memory modules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

What is RAM (random access memory)?

A

templory storage for data and instructuions as they are being processes by the CPU

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Do video cards contain RAM?

A

yes, video cards contain some embedded RAM chips for video storage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

What is a hard drive?

A

Permanent storage used to hold data and programs. Also called a hard disk drive (HDD). Ex. may include optical drive, tape drive, or floppy drive

Windows 7 operating system and applications are installed on the hard drive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Where are hard drives installed at?

A

In a stack of drive bays at the front of the case

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Each hard drive has two connections for cable. What are they for?

A

The power cable connects to the poser supple and another cable, use for data and instructions, connects to the motherboard.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

What is a computer power supply?

A

Also called a power supply unit (PSU), is a box installed in a corner of the computer case that receives and cinverts the house current so that components inside the case can use it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Most power supplies had which type of switch?

A

dual-voltage selector switch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What is a dual-voltage selector switch?

A

So you can switch the input voltage to the power supply to 115V used in the United States or 220V used in other countries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What can the power cables connect to and supply power to?

A

the motherboard, expansion cards, and drives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

What are form factors?

A

The standards that describe the size, shape, screw hole positions, and major features of these interconnected components.

57
Q

What does using a matching form factor for the motherboard, power supplym and case assure you of:

A
  • The Motherboard fits in the case,
  • The power supply cords to the motherboard provide the correct voltage, & the connectors match the connection on the board
  • The holes in the motherboard align with the holes in the case for anchoring the board to the case.
  • The holes in the case align with ports coming off the motherboard.
  • For some form factors, wires for switches and lights on the front of the case match up with connections on the motherboard.
  • The holes in the power supply align with holes in the case for anchoring the power supply to the case
58
Q

What are the two form factors used by most desktop and tower computer cases and power supplies?

A

ATX and mini-ATX form factors

59
Q

What is ATX (Advanced Technology Extended)?

A

The most commonly used form factors today. It is an open, nonproprietary industy specification origianally developed by Intel in 1995 and has undergone several revisions since then.

The original ATX form facto for cases had case fans blowing air into the case, but early revisions to the form factor had fans blowing air out of th ecase. This did a better job of keeping systems cool.

60
Q

What is a pin-pin P1 connect and what is it used for?

A

This is the main motherboard power connector and is used i the early ATX systems.

61
Q

What is the 24-pin P1 connector?

A

This is also called the 20+4 pin connector, and is the main motherboard power connector used today

62
Q

What is the 20+4 pin P1 connector?

A

A connector with 4 pins removed so the connector can fit into a 20-pin P1 motherboard connector.

63
Q

What is a 4-pin auxiliary motherboard connector?

A

Used for extra 12 V power to the processor

64
Q

What is a 8-pin auxiliary motherboard connector?

A

Used for extra 12 V power to the processor, providing more power than the older 4-pin auxiliary connector.

65
Q

What is a 4-pin Molex connector?

A

Used for IDE (PATA) drives.

66
Q

What is a 15-pin SATA connector?

A

Used for SATA drives

67
Q

What is a 4-pin Berg connector?

A

used by floppy disk drive (FDD)

68
Q

What is a 6-pin PCTe connector?

A

Provides an extra +12 V for high-end video cards using PCI Express, Version 2

69
Q

What is a 8-pin PCIe connector?

A

Provides an extra +12 V for high-end video cards using PCI Express, Version 2

70
Q

What is a 6-pin plus 2-pin +12 V PCIe connecctor?

A

Used by high-end video cards using PCIe x16 slots to provide voltage to the card. To get the 8-pin connector, combine both the 6-pin and 2-pin connectors

71
Q

What power did the 20-pin P1 connector use?

A

+3.3 volts, +5 volts, +12 volts, -12 volts, and an optional and rarely used -5 volts

This was the first ATX power supplies and motherboard

72
Q

When processors began to require more power, the ATX Version 2.1 specifications added what?

A

A 4-pin motherboard auxiliary connector near the porocessor socket to provide additional 12 V of power.

73
Q

What is a ATX12V power supply?

A

A power supply that provides this 4-pin 12 volt power cord.

74
Q

What replaced the 4-pin 12 volt power connector?

A

8-pin motherboard auxiliary connector which provided more amps for the processor.

75
Q

What happened when faster PCI Express (PCIe) slots were added to the motherboard?

A

More power was required and a new ATX specification (ATX Version 2.2) allowed for a 24-pin P1 connector.

76
Q

Will the 20-pin power cable still work in the new 24-pin connector.

A

yes

77
Q

The extra 4 pins on the 24-pin P1 connector provides what type of power?

A

+12 volts, +5 volts, and +3.3 volts

78
Q

What does the tab at the end of the edge connector of a video card do?

A

Fits into a retention mechanism at the end of the slot, whcih helps to stabilize a heavy video card.

79
Q

What draws the most power in a system.

A

video cards

80
Q

What does ATX Version 2.2 provide as far as video cards go?

A

Provides for power cables to connecct directly to a video card to provide it additional power than comes through the PCIe slot on the motherboard.

81
Q

How many pins does a PCIe power connector have?

A

6 or 8 pins

PCI Express, Version 1 defined the 6-pin connector

PCI Express, Version 2 defined the 8-pin connector

82
Q

Why must you be grounded when working with computers?

A

Static electricity can damage a computer component

83
Q

What is the microATX (MATX) form factor?

A

A major variation of ATX and addresses some technologies that have changed. It reduces the total cost of a system by reducing the number of expansion slots on the motherboard, reducing the power supplied to the board and allowing for a smaller case.

It uses a 24-pin P1 connector and is not likely to have as many extra wires and connectors as those on an ATX power supply

84
Q

How does a hard drive receive power and communicate?

A

By a power cable from the power supply and communicates instructions and data through a cable attached to the motherboard.

85
Q

What are the two types of connectors for hard drives?

A

serial ATA (SATA) standard which is faster and

parallel ATA (PATA) which is slower and older

86
Q

How do you connect a SATA cable.

A

It only connects in one directions; use red connectors on the motherboard first.

87
Q

Describe the PATA interface?

A

Also called the IDE interface, uses a wide 40-pin ribbon cable and connector. The standard allows for only two connectors on a motherboard for two data cables.

Each IDE ribbon cable has a connection at the other end for IDE drive and a connection in the middle of the cable for a second IDE drive.

88
Q

How many IDE drives can the motherboard hold?

A

There are two IDE connectors on the motherboard but each connector has a secondary connector so the motherboard can accomadate four IDE or PATA drives in one system

89
Q

How much data can a 3.4 floppy disk (FDD) contain?

A

1.44 MB of data

90
Q

Which is smaller, the 4-pin Berg power connector or the Molex connector?

A

Berg power connector

91
Q

Describe the floppy drive cable?

A

It has 34 pins and a twist in the cable and can accommodate one or two drives

92
Q

What type of conductor does a PATA drive use?

A

A 40-pin consuctor IDE cable or a higher-quality 80-conductor IDE cable used by the Enhanced IDE (EIDE) standards

93
Q

Describe a 80-conductor?

A

A cable has 80 thin wires connected to 40 pins)

94
Q

How can you identify an IDE and floppy drive cable?

A

They have a red color or stripe down one side of the cable. This edge color marks this side of the cable as pin 1.

95
Q

Why is pin 1 labeled on the connector?

A

So that you can orient the cable in the connector.

96
Q

What does the EIDE cable and some floppy drive cables have so you can only connect in one direction?

A

A covered pinhole and a notch in the motherboard connector

97
Q

What is a volt (for example 115 V) and give an example?

A

A measure of electrical force measured in volts.

A power supply steps fown the voltage from the 115 volt house currect to 3.3, 5, and 12 volts that computer components can use.

98
Q

What is an Amp or ampere (ex. 1.5 A) and give an example.

A

An amp is a measure of electrical currect.

An LCD monitor requires about 5 A to operate. A small laser printer uses about 2A. A CD-ROM uses about 1 A.

99
Q

What is an OHM and give an example.

A

An ohn is a measure of resistance to electricity.

Current can flow in typical computer cables and wires with a resistance of near zero

100
Q

What is a joule (ex. 500 joules) and give an example?

A

A measure of work or energy. One joule is the work required to puch elctrical current of one amp through a resistance of one ohm.

A surge suppressor is rated in joules-the higher the better. The rating determines how much work it can expend before it can no loner protect the circuit from a power surge.

101
Q

What is a watt (ex 20W) and give an example?

A

A measure of electrical power. One watt is one joule per second and measures the total electrical power needed to operate a device. Watts can be calculated by multiplying volts by amps.

The power consuption of an LCD computer monitor is rated at about 14 W. A DVD burner uses about 25 W when burning a DVD

102
Q

What is an AC current?

A

goes back and forth, or oscillates. House currents in the US is AC and oscillates 60 times a second (60 hertz)

Voltage in the system is constantly alternating from positive to negative, which causes it to be able to go back and forth.

Voltage alternates from +115V to -115V

103
Q

What happens when we decrease current and increase voltage?

What happens when the current reaches its destination?

A

We can force alternating current to travel great distances

It is made more suitable fro driving our electrical devices by decreasing voltage and increasing current.

104
Q

What is a Direct Current (DC) and what devices use it?

A

travels in only one direction and is the type of current that most electrical devices require, including computers

105
Q

What is a rectifier?

A

It is a device that converts AC to DC.

106
Q

What is a inverter?

A

It converts DC to AC

107
Q

What is a transformer?

A

A device that changes the ratio of voltage to current.

It keeps power constant but changes the ratio of current to voltage

108
Q

Is the power supply in a computer a rectifier or a transformer?

A

It is both a rectifier and transformer

109
Q

How does AC travel from a power station to a building?

A

It travels on a hot line from the power station to a building and returns to the power station on a neutral line.

110
Q

What can cause a short in a lamp?

A

The device controls the flow of electricity between the hot and neutral lines. If an easier path (one with less resistance) is available, the electricity follows that path. This can cause a short or a fire.

111
Q

What prevents uncontrolled electricity in a short?

A

the neutral line is grounded

112
Q

What are the different uses for black wires?

A

In PCs and in DC circuits, black is used for ground, but in home wiring and in AC circuits, black is used for hot

113
Q

What is a receptacle tester?

A

Verifies that a wall outlet is wired correctly for hot, neutral, and ground

114
Q

Should you be grounded when working on a motherboard or processor?

A

yes

115
Q

Should you be grounded when working a a CRT monitor, power supply, or laser printer?

A

no

116
Q
A
117
Q

How do you dispose of a CRT monitor?

A

Make sure it is discharged. Most CRT monitors today are discharged after sitting unplugged for 60 minutes.

It can be manually discharged using a high-voltage probe with the monitor case opend

118
Q

What type of fire extinguisher should you use to put a an electrical fire?

A

Class C fire extinguisher- it uses nonconductive chemicals to put out a fire

119
Q

What is electrostatic discharge (ESD)

A

commonly know as static electricity, is an electrical charge at rest

When two objects with dissimilare electrical charges touch, electricity passes between them until the dissimilar charges equal

120
Q

How much static charge do you need to cause damage to electonic components

A

10 volts

121
Q

How much volts do you need to feel a static electricity charge? to hear it? to see it?

A

1,500 volts

6,000 volts

8,000 volts

122
Q

ESD can cause two types of damage in an electonic component. What are they?

A

catastrophic failure-destroys the component beyond use

upset failure-damages the component so that it does not perform well, even though it may still function

123
Q

What is a ground bracelet?

A

also called an ESD strap, antistatic wrist strap, or ESD bracelet, is a strap you wear on you wrist, The strap has an alligator clip on the end. Attach the clip to the computer case you’re working on

124
Q

What is a ground mat?

A

also called ESD mat, dissipates ESD and is commonly used by bench technicians. They have a connector in one corner that you can use to connect the mat to the groound. If you lift a component off the mat, it is no longer grounded and is susceptiple to ESD

125
Q

What is static shielding bags?

A

also called antistatic bags. Type of Faraday cage, named after Michael Faraday, who built it in 1836. A Faraday cage is any device that protects againts an electromagnetic field.

126
Q

Why should you not place or store expansion cards on top or next to a CRT monitor?

A

It can damage components with ESD and can discahrge as much as 29,000 volts on the screen

127
Q

What is self-grounding?

A

Dissipates any charge between you and whatever you touch. touch the computer case or the power supply before you touch a comonent in the case

128
Q

What are some rules that can help protect computer parts against ESD?

A
  • When passing a circuit board, memory module or other sensitive components to another person, ground yourself and then touch the other person before passing the component.
  • Leave components inside their protective bags until you are ready to use them.
  • Work on hard floors, not carpet if you or the computer have just come in from the cold because there is more danger of ESD when the atmospher is cold or dry.
  • When unpacking hardware or software, remove the packing tape and cellophane from the work area as soon as possible because these materials attract ESD
  • Keep components away from your hair and clothing.
129
Q

What are a list of tools you need when Pc hardware troubleshooting?

A
  • ground bracelet
  • flathead screwdriver
  • phillips-head or crosshead scredriver
  • torx screwdriver set, especially size T15
  • tweezers, preferably insulted ones
  • extractor
  • software, including recovery CD or DVD for any OS you might work on, antivirus software on bootable CDs or USB flash drives, and diagnostic software
130
Q

What is a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

A

Explains how to properly handle substances such as chemical solvents and how to dispose of them.

It includes information such as physical data, toxicity, health effects, first aid, storage, shipping, disposal, and spill procedures

131
Q

What is a power supply tester?

A

used to measure the output of each connector coming from the power supply. You can test the power supply when it is inside or outside the case. It has plugs for each type of cable.

132
Q

What is multimeter?

A

A more general-purpose tool that can measure several characteristics of electricity in a variety of devices. Some can measure voltage, current, resistance, or continutiy.

133
Q

What are loopback plug?

A

Used to test a port in a computer or other device to make sure the post in working and might also test the throughput or speed of the port

134
Q

What is another name for BIOS programs?

A

firmware

135
Q

What happens to the firmware chip when the computer is not receiving power?

A

The firmware chip is powered by a battery nearby so it does not lose the data it holds in the memory chip, which is called CMAS RAM

136
Q

What is CMOS RAM?

A

Holds the motherboard configuation or settings and includes the computer date and time, power-on passwords, and which device to look to when the BIOS is searching for an operatin system to launch.

137
Q

What is a POST diagnostic card? (Power-on self test)

A

Also called a POST card, helps to discover and report computer errors and conflicts that occur when you first turn on a computer and before the operating system in launched.

Series of test performed by the startup BIOS when you first turn on your computer.

138
Q

The motherboard BIOS serves three purposes. What are they?

A
  • System BIOS manages essential devices before the OS is launched.
  • Sartup BIOS is used to start the computer
  • BIOS setup or CMOS setup is used to change the motherboard configuartion or settings
139
Q
A

Managing and Maintaining Your PC (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions