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CompTIA A+ 220-1101 > Chapter 2 - Hardware Components > Flashcards

Chapter 2 - Hardware Components Flashcards

1
Q

What hardware component provides connectivity for integrated and add-on components?

A

The motherboard

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2
Q

The main circuit board in a PC is called…

A

The motherboard

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3
Q

The primary connection method for devices on the motherboard is called…

A

A bus

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4
Q

The backside bus is also known as…

A

The cache

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5
Q

What is the purpose of a chipset?

A

It provides functions for the computer including memory control, system bus functions, audio functions, etc.

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6
Q

What are the two most important parts of a chipset?

A

The Northbridge and Southbridge chips

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7
Q

Which chipset chip connects directly to the CPU?

A

Northbridge

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8
Q

Which chipset chip is responsible for the tasks that require the highest levels of performance?

A

Northbridge

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9
Q

Which chipset chip is used to interact with I/O devices?

A

Southbridge

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10
Q

What refers to the size and shape of a motherboard and describes the power supply that it can use?

A

Form factor

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11
Q

What is the set of software instructions (firmware) stored on a chip on the motherboard that enables basic computer functions?

A

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

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12
Q

What is the area that stores the BIOS configuration information?

A

CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)

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13
Q

What is the standard firmware interface that was designed to replace BIOS?

A

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)

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14
Q

What are 5 advantages to using UEFI over BIOS?

A
  1. Increased security
  2. Faster startup
  3. Support for drives larger than 2.2 TB
  4. Support for 64-bit firmware device driver
  5. Backward compatibility
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15
Q

What is POST?

A

Power On Self Test - built in system diagnostic test performed during the boot process

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16
Q

What is a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?

A

A security chip on the motherboard used for full volume encryption. It prevents tampering with hardware components

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17
Q

What are the 2 different types of BIOS passwords?

A
  1. Supervisor password
  2. Boot password
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18
Q

What component stores firmware?

A

BIOS

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19
Q

What component stores software?

A

RAM

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20
Q

What kind of connectors are used to provide power to modern motherboards?

A
  1. p1 20- or 24- pin connector
  2. 4/8 pin 12v (for supplemental power)
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21
Q

What is the PCIe 6/8 pin connector used for?

A

Connecting higher-end video cards with increased power requirements to the motherboard

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22
Q

What is the primary type of storage on a computer?

A

Memory

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23
Q

What are the 2 types of memory?

A

RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read-only memory)

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24
Q

What are the actual storage locations on a memory chip called?

A

cells

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25
Q

How much data can a single memory chip CELL hold?

A

1 bit

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26
Q

What is RAM?

A

Random Access Memory: main system memory for running applications. This memory is volatile.

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27
Q

What is ROM?

A

Read Only Memory: chips on the motherboard and devices that store instructions permanently

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28
Q

What does DDR stand for in DDR RAM?

A

Double Date Rate (DDR2, DDR3, etc doubles the rate further)

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29
Q

What is Parity?

A

a scheme that enables the detection of memory errors using either even or odd parity schemes.

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30
Q

What is an ECC?

A

Error Correcting Code: permits the computer to not only detect errors in memory, but to correct them as well

31
Q

What are the different RAM configurations?

A

Single & double sided, single channel, dual channel, triple channel, quad channel

32
Q

What are the 4 different types of RAM?

A

DRAM, SRAM, CMOS RAM, VRAM

33
Q

What characteristics vary when it comes to hard drives?

A

Access time, storage capacity, physical type of media being used

34
Q

What are the 3 different types of drives?

A

magnetic, optical, solid state/flash drives

35
Q

What does a storage interface do?

A

It represents the communication standard that defines how data flows to and from the disk drive

36
Q

What is a storage controller?

A

An adaptor board that plugs into the PC’s expansion slot or that is built into the motherboard

37
Q

What are the 2 form factors for drives?

A

2.5 and 3.5

38
Q

What are the 4 drive speeds in RPMs?

A

5400, 7200, 10000, 15000

39
Q

How many SATA standards are there?

A

3

40
Q

Describe the SATA 1 standard

A

Original specification with 150 Mbps transfer rate

41
Q

Describe the SATA 2 standard

A

2nd generation SATA with a transfer rate of 300 Mbps

42
Q

Describe the SATA 3 standard

A

3rd generation SATA with a transfer rate of 600 Mbps

43
Q

What does SATA stand for?

A

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment

44
Q

What is eSATA?

A

External SATA

45
Q

What is the benefit of eSATA vs PATA or SATA?

A

It’s more efficient due to using a different method for connecting external drives. It is able to achieve the full speeds of SATA 3

46
Q

What is the maximum cable length for an eSATA drive?

A

2 meters

47
Q

How many pins does an eSATA drive have?

A

7

48
Q

How do you add an eSATA connector to a computer that does already have one?

A

By installing an expansion card

49
Q

What is the platter on a Fixed Disk Drive?

A

metal or plastic disk coated with magnetic material

50
Q

What is the spindle on a Fixed Disk Drive?

A

the axis or central hub that the platters spin around

51
Q

What are the read/write heads on a Fixed Disk Drive?

A

magnetic devices that both read and write data on the platters and are attached to arms

52
Q

What is the voice coil actuator on a Fixed Disk Drive?

A

mechanism that moves the heads very precisely into position over tracks written on the platters

53
Q

What is a hard drive track?

A

concentric circles written on the platter

54
Q

Each track on a hard drive is divided into what?

A

sectors

55
Q

What refers to the logical collection of all tracks at a given distance from the axis on a hard drive?

A

clyinder

56
Q

What is a logical grouping of sectors on a hard drive called?

A

cluster

57
Q

How many bytes can a hard drive sector hold?

A

512 bytes

58
Q

How many sectors are in 1 cluster? (range)

A

4 - 64

59
Q

What drive types typically support a hot-swappable configuration?

A

USB, FireWire, and SATA

60
Q

How is a SSD different from a HDD?

A

They use memory instead of mechanical moving parts

61
Q

What are the advantages of using a SSD?

A
  1. They use nonvolatile memory chips that contain no moving parts 2. faster startup and access 3. noiseless 4. high reliability
62
Q

How are SSDs different from other flash media?

A

They are meant to be a permanent replacement for internal storage devices

63
Q

What different techniques are used to retain data in a SSD?

A

non-volatile flash, volatile RAM,

64
Q

What is the most popular choice for removable storage?

A

Flash storage

65
Q

What are the main benefits of using flash storage?

A

high storage capacity, hot swapping, small in physical size

66
Q

What devices are flash storage commonly used in?

A

phones and digital cameras

67
Q

Optical drives use what instead of magnetism for changing the characteristics of the storage medium?

A

a laser

68
Q

3 types of optical drives?

A

CD, DVD, Blu-ray

69
Q

What does DVD stand for?

A

digital video disc

70
Q

How do DVDs differ from CDs? (3 things)

A

They’re thinner and more dense, they require a different type of laser, and they are read at a higher rate

71
Q

What are the 2 main differences between blu-ray and DVDs?

A

Blu-ray uses a shorter wavelength laser and has a much higher storage capacity (almost 6X)

72
Q

What are the 3 types of blu-ray discs?

A

BD-R (writable once), BD-RE (rewritable), and BD-J (additional features such as network access and PIP (picture-in-picture)

73
Q

What is RAID?

A

Redundant Array of Independent Disks - technologies that provide high availability for storage devices and data

74
Q

How is RAID implemented?

A

Through hardware - using a dedicated controller built into the motherboard or via and add-in controller.
Through software - using OS resources

CompTIA A+ 220-1101 (3 decks)

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