Chapter 5 - Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Flashcards
You are an avid fan of Twitch, the streaming application where you entertain yourself as you
watch other people play games. Twitch works well at your house and at your friend’s house.
However, when you visit the website at work, the website looks fine, but you can’t watch
anyone play games. You’ve tried this on both your phone and your laptop. Which of the fol-
lowing should you suspect as the reason?
A. Your immediate supervisor
B. Your company’s Wi-F i connection bandwidth
C. Your company data retention policy
D. Your company firewall
D. Your supervisor probably prefers that you are not on Twitch but has little actual impact
on the site’s performance. The Wi-Fi connection would be sufficient. The company likely has
a policy against watching streaming applications or against particular websites like Twitch.
However, the data retention policy is not relevant. Instead, the firewall is the reason behind
the streaming being denied.
A user approaches you and asks for a CPU upgrade so their Lenovo laptop will run faster.
What is most likely the easiest way to meet this user’s needs?
A. Remove the CPU and replace it with a faster one that fits the same socket.
B. Replace the laptop with one that has a faster CPU.
C. Replace the motherboard with a generic laptop motherboard with a faster processor.
D. Replace the motherboard with a Lenovo laptop motherboard with a faster processor.
B. Laptop processors generally are permanently attached to the motherboard. And motherboards are normally proprietary, meaning one from a certain model will not fit into a different case. Therefore, the best course of action is likely a laptop upgrade.
You are using a USB flash drive to transfer files from a laptop. You plug the USB drive in and
then copy the files to it. What is the recommended way to remove the drive?
A. Unplug the drive.
B. Use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray, stop the drive, and then unplug
it.
C. Close the drive’s window in File Explorer and unplug it.
D. Use the Shut Down Hardware icon in the system tray, stop the drive, and then unplug it.
B. You need to stop the device first (this is good policy even for USB devices) using the Safely
Remove Hardware icon in the system tray (it looks like a card and may have a green arrow
or green check mark over it, depending on your version of Windows). Highlight the device
and click Stop. Once it’s stopped, you can unplug it.
You have decided to start playing video-i ntensive games on your laptop computer. The
video appears jumpy and slow to respond. What should you do first to try to increase the
performance during game play?
A. Upgrade the video card.
B. Install additional video memory.
C. Use Windows Control Panel to increase the amount of video memory available.
D. Use the system BIOS/UEFI to increase the amount of video memory available.
D. Many laptops use shared video memory, meaning that system RAM is divided up for use
between the processor and the video card. On these types of systems, the amount of RAM
available for video is configured in the BIOS/UEFI.
A guest presenter plugs an external projector into their laptop using the HDMI port on the
back of the laptop. They then use the Fn key and video toggle switch; the projector displays
the presentation, but the laptop screen goes dark. What should they do if they want to see the
presentation on both the projector and the laptop?
A. Install a second video driver and then use the video toggle key to switch the video output
to both screens.
B. Unplug the projector and plug it back in to synchronize it with the laptop.
C. Unplug the projector, use the video toggle key to switch the video output, and then plug
the projector back in.
D. Press the video toggle key again until the presentation is shown on both screens.
D. Because of the much smaller space available for keys, some laptop keys are consolidated
into special multifunction keys. These keys are accessed through the standard keys by using a
special function (Fn) key. Nearly every laptop has a video connector on the back or the side
to plug in an external display or a projector. You will need to use the video toggle key to get
this external port to work. Usually there are three or four states: laptop only, external output
only, duplicate, or extend the desktop (some models won’t extend the desktop).
A user has a laptop that is intermittently locking up. Initial diagnostics indicate that the pro-
cessor is overheating. What can you do to try to remediate the issue? (Choose two.)
A. Leave the case open while the system is running to allow for better airflow and cooling.
B. Lower the CPU voltage in the system BIOS/UEFI.
C. Lower the CPU clock speed in the system BIOS/UEFI.
D. Run the laptop on AC power instead of battery power.
B, C. To combat heat, you can either slow the processor down (run it at a lower speed) or
give it less juice (run it at a lower voltage). Most of the time, this is configured in the system
BIOS/UEFI. For example, many Intel processors have SpeedStep technology to slow the processor down to produce less heat, and they may also have adaptive thermal management.
A client has a laptop with an integrated video card. The system seems to boot but produces
no video, even with an external display hooked up. What can you do to fix this?
A. Add an external USB video card and connect the display to it.
B. Remove the existing video card, and replace it with a new internal video card.
C. Replace the motherboard.
D. Leave the existing card in the system, and add an internal Mini PCIe video card.
C. If the integrated video card fails, you’re looking at a motherboard replacement. Some lap-
tops do have a replaceable video card. If it fails or if you choose to upgrade it, the procedure
will probably resemble replacing system memory.
A user has brought their laptop to you because the screen is intermittently flickering. Which
display component is most likely causing this?
A. Backlight
B. LCD
C. Screen
D. Inverter
D. If you are having problems with flickering screens or dimness, it’s more likely that the
inverter is the problem and not the backlight itself.
An administrator ordered replacement printer paper that is a thicker caliper than recom-
mended by the printer manufacturer. What is the biggest risk in using this paper?
A. Images will not print.
B. Paper will not feed.
C. Paper will jam.
D. Images will not print.
C. Thicker paper can cause paper jams, especially in printers with curved paper paths. Paper
that is too thin may not get picked up by the printer rollers at all.
You have an OLED display that you just plugged into a desktop computer. One of your
coworkers changes the resolution from 1920×1080 to 1920×1200, but then the image looks
highly distorted. What is the most likely cause of this?
A. The video driver does not support 1920×1200 resolution.
B. The display has a native resolution of 1920×1080.
C. The video adapter has a native resolution of 1920×1080.
D. The monitor is plugged into the wrong display interface to support the new resolution.
B. Most digital displays have a native resolution, which is a single, fixed resolution that they
support. Attempting to change the resolution may result in distorted images, or the image
may not display at all.
A user has a display that flashes a black screen every few seconds. What is likely set incor-
rectly and causing the problem?
A. Refresh rate
B. Frame rate
C. Native resolution
D. Aspect ratio
A. Refresh rate defines the vertical scan frequency of a display and determines how many
times, in one second, an image can be redrawn on the screen. Many LCD displays have a
fixed refresh rate. If the refresh rate is set faster than the video card or software can run, then
problems such as a black screen every few seconds may result. The solution is to lower the
refresh rate or invest in new hardware.
A friend who plays video games has asked you how they can fix tearing on their display.
What will you tell them?
A. They need a new display.
B. The refresh rate is set too low.
C. The screen’s refresh rate is set too high.
D. It’s a software defect.
B. Often when tearing happens, a video game is sending frames to the display faster than the
display can render them. Setting the refresh rate of the display higher, if it supports this, may
solve the problem.
What is the name of the boot routine that verifies the size and integrity of the system
memory, among other tasks?
A. RAMCheck
B. BIOS
C. UEFI
D. POST
D. The power- on self- test (POST) is a series of system checks performed by the system BIOS
when the computer is turned on. Checking the system memory is part of the POST routine.
You upgraded the RAM on your system and are now having boot issues. The manufacturer’s
website recommends updating the BIOS. What is the easiest way to do this?
A. Replace the BIOS chip.
B. Replace the CMOS battery.
C. Install a new motherboard.
D. Flash the BIOS.
D. Flashing the BIOS is the recommended way to upgrade a BIOS. It involves downloading
the new BIOS and flashing software from the manufacturer and installing it on the computer.
The worst- case scenario is replacing the motherboard (or in this case, the RAM, since that is
what you upgraded).
You moved a projector from an old conference room to a new one. The projector was
working fine in the other room, but the image seems dim in the new room. Before you
purchase a new projector, which of the following should you try?
A. Increase the frame rate.
B. Lower the native resolution.
C. Adjust the aspect ratio.
D. Turn the brightness up.
D. If the projector worked fine in a different room, then it’s something about the new
conference room. If the room is brighter, you’ll need to turn up the brightness of the pro-
jector or turn off lights and close shades. If these don’t solve the issue, then you might need
a new projector. Lumens is the measure of brightness for a projector. For a well- lit business
setting, you probably want a projector rated at 5,000–6,000 lumens.
Your friend has just finished building a computer. After installing the operating system, all
seems fine except that they found that flash drives placed in the USB ports on the top of the
case do not get noticed by the OS. Where do you suspect the problem is?
A. Device drivers outdated
B. USB settings misconfigured
C. Motherboard’s internal USB connector disconnected
D. System clock
C. Likely the friend forgot to connect the internal USB connector on the motherboard to the
USB ports of the case.
You are troubleshooting a Mac running macOS. Intermittently, the computer will completely
lock up and display a rotating pinwheel instead of the mouse cursor. It happens when differ-
ent applications are running. What is most likely causing this problem?
A. CPU
B. RAM
C. Motherboard
D. Faulty application
B. The spinning pinwheel, also known as the “Spinning Wheel of Death,” can happen for
several reasons. Sometimes it’s a frozen app, but in this case, it’s happening when different
apps are running, so hardware would be suspect. Of the hardware listed, the RAM is the
most likely problem. A faulty hard drive could also cause the problem.
You’re at a friend’s house when you notice a burning smell from their computer. What is the
first thing you should do?
A. Grab a fire extinguisher.
B. Unplug the computer.
C. Call the fire department.
D. Tell your friend to get a new computer.
B. It’s rare that a computer will catch on fire, but sometimes wires are frayed and excessive
dust can cause short circuits to happen. Burning electronics have an unmistakable odor. If
you ever smell electronics burning, even if you don’t see smoke or flame, immediately unplug
the device.
You are troubleshooting a desktop computer that is prone to unexpected shutdowns. They
seem to happen randomly, sometimes shortly after the computer starts, other times after
several minutes. The user reports that no error messages appear before the computer shuts
down. Which two things are most likely to cause this type of problem? (Choose two.)
A. Failing hard drive
B. Bad RAM
C. BIOS/UEFI misconfiguration
D. Improperly seated chips
B, D. Unexpected shutdowns are difficult to troubleshoot, as are all intermittent issues. The
first thing to check is to ensure that all socketed chips are seated properly; in fact, reseat-
ing them is a good option. If that does not resolve the issue, test the RAM or replace it
if possible.
You’re troubleshooting a computer that the user says shuts down after 10 minutes, every
time they start the computer. If they wait a few minutes and restart it, the same thing hap-
pens. What is most likely the problem?
A. RAM
B. Hard drive
C. Processor
D. Motherboard
C. Most likely, the processor is overheating. Check that the thermal paste/tape between the
processor and heat sink have not dried out. If they were fine, then consider adding better or
additional fans in the case. This would also be a good time to clean any dust out of the case.
A user calls the IT help desk in a panic because they have a BSOD on the screen. You ask
them if there is a specific error message displayed, and if they have installed any hardware or
software lately. They haven’t. What would be a good first step to resolve the BSOD?
A. Try rebooting the system; Windows will try to fix it.
B. Refresh the operating system.
C. Reinstall the operating system.
D. Restore to a previous version.
A. Sometimes it’s as simple as rebooting the system and the problem will resolve. If it
doesn’t, then the solution depends on any error messages received and what you find in the
troubleshooting process.
You have just replaced faulty RAM in a desktop computer. You reboot the computer, and
after a few seconds it beeps once. What does this indicate?
A. The RAM is faulty.
B. The motherboard needs to be replaced.
C. The system BIOS detected an error in the POST routine.
D. The system BIOS completed the POST routine normally.
D. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its basic input/output system (BIOS)
called the power- on self-t est (POST). When you turn on the computer, it executes this set of
diagnostics. If the computer doesn’t perform the POST as it should, one way to determine the
source of a problem is to listen for a beep code. This is a series of beeps from the computer’s
speaker. A successful POST generally produces a single beep.
You are troubleshooting a computer that will not boot. It tells you that there is no bootable
device. You check the BIOS, and it does not show any installed hard drives. What should
you do next?
A. Run bootrec /fixmbr.
B. Replace the hard drive with an external drive.
C. Flash the BIOS.
D. Check the hard drive connections.
D. Failure to boot at all likely means the drive is dead. But first, do your due diligence and
reseat the connections and make sure the BIOS recognizes the drive before replacing it. BIOS/
UEFI should autodetect the hard drive. If that autodetection fails, it’s bad news for the hard
drive unless there’s a cable, connection, or jumper issue. If the internal hard drive is indeed
dead, you might be able to get by temporarily by plugging in an external drive.
A technician just replaced a failed internal hard drive in a desktop computer with an empty
hard drive. They need to boot to the network to connect to an imaging server to restore the
computer. How should they do this?
A. During boot, press the F2 key to boot to the network.
B. During boot, enter the BIOS/UEFI and change the boot sequence to boot to the network.
C. Let the boot complete normally. When the UEFI does not find a bootable partition on
the hard drive, it will boot from the network.
D. During boot, press the F7 key to edit the boot sequence menu.
B. The system BIOS/UEFI contains the boot sequence for a system. Most systems probably
boot to the first hard drive, but they can also be configured to boot from a secondary hard
drive, the optical drive, or the network. This setting is configured in the BIOS/UEFI.
A user’s laptop computer does not show anything on the screen, although the power light
and other indicator lights are on. You plug in an external display and it does not show an
image either. Which component is most likely causing the problem?
A. Inverter
B. Backlight
C. Screen
D. Integrated video
D. If a laptop does not display any video, it could be the screen or the integrated video. To
test it, plug in an external display (that you know works) and use the function keys on the
laptop to switch to external video output. If that doesn’t work, it’s likely that the video card
is defective.
You are troubleshooting a computer making a loud whining noise. Looking at the exhaust
fan, you see a thick coating of dust. What should you do next?
A. Use compressed air to clean the fan.
B. Use a computer vacuum to clean the fan.
C. Use a damp cloth to clean the fan.
D. Replace the power supply.
A. Try cleaning the fan before replacing any parts. The power supply fan has a protective
grid covering it, and you won’t really be able to get to it with a computer vacuum or a damp
cloth. Using compressed air to blow it out is your best option. Be sure to insert something
nonconductive, like a plastic knife, between the blades of the fan to keep the fan from
spinning and protect the fan’s motor. You will, of course, do this with the computer off.
A user reports that their laptop battery does not charge when the laptop is plugged into an
AC outlet. What is the best resolution to try first?
A. Replace the battery.
B. Replace the AC adapter.
C. Remove and reinsert the battery.
D. Drain the battery completely and then recharge it.
C. If the battery won’t charge while the laptop is plugged in, try removing the battery and
reinserting it. If it still won’t charge, you might want to replace the battery.
A technician has determined that they need to replace a motherboard in a laptop. Which of
the following procedures should be followed? (Choose two.)
A. Never use a power screwdriver with a laptop.
B. Document and label screw locations.
C. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
D. Remove the keyboard before removing the motherboard.
B, C. When repairing laptops, you should always document and label screw and cable loca-
tions, organize parts, refer to manufacturer instructions, and use appropriate hand tools.
Power screwdrivers can be used. In some cases, but not all, you might need to remove the
keyboard to remove the motherboard. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
You are troubleshooting a computer that has been randomly rebooting, and now it refuses to
boot properly. Upon boot, you receive one long beep and three short beeps but no video on
the screen. What tool should you use to troubleshoot the situation?
A. Multimeter
B. Power supply tester
C. Loopback plug
D. POST card
D. This computer is giving you a beep code during the POST routine. One way to trouble-
shoot this is to use a POST card. This is a circuit board that fits into an expansion slot (PCI
or PCIe) in the motherboard or connects via a USB port, and reports numeric codes as the
boot process progresses. Each of those codes corresponds to a particular component being
checked. If the POST card stops at a certain number, you can look up that number in the
manual for the card to determine the problem.
You are troubleshooting a computer that has been randomly rebooting, and now it refuses
to boot properly. Upon boot, you receive one long beep and three short beeps but no video
on the screen. You don’t have a POST diagnostic card that will work with this motherboard.
What tool should you use to troubleshoot the situation?
A. Motherboard documentation
B. Power supply tester
C. Loopback plug
D. Multimeter
A. This computer hasn’t reached the video part of POST yet, so the only way it has to com-
municate error codes with the user is through a series of beeps. The pattern of beeps has a
specific meaning. Often continuous short beeps is a RAM problem, while one short beep and
three long is video, but you would need to consult the motherboard manual to be sure. A
power supply tester and multimeter would be used to troubleshoot problems with power, and
a loopback plug is used to troubleshoot problems with the network card.
Over time, the hard drive performance of your computer has gotten slower. A quick check of
Performance Monitor shows that your disk read/writes are taking more time as compared to
the baseline. What should you do to resolve this issue?
A. Run Optimize and defragment the drive.
B. Format the hard drive and restore the data.
C. Delete the partition, create a new one, and restore the data.
D. Run chkdsk.
A. When files are written to a hard drive, they’re not always written contiguously (with all
of the data in a single location). As a result, file data is spread out over the disk, and the time
it takes to retrieve files from the disk increases. Defragmenting a disk involves analyzing the
disk and then consolidating fragmented files and folders so that they occupy a contiguous
space, thus increasing performance during file retrieval.
A user’s computer has failed. When you try to boot it up, you hear a loud, rhythmic clicking
sound, and the system does not boot properly. What is most likely the issue?
A. HDD failure
B. SSD failure
C. RAM failure
D. Power supply fan failure
A. A rhythmic clicking sound can be made only by components with mechanical parts, such
as a conventional hard disk drive (HDD). A power supply fan failure will usually result in a
whining sound or no sound at all because the fan doesn’t work, but it will not cause a system
boot failure. Solid state drives (SSDs) and random access memory (RAM) don’t make any
sound when they fail.
A laser printer you are working with consistently produces images with white streaks
running down the page. What can you do first to resolve this issue?
A. Clean the transfer corona wires.
B. Clean the EP drum.
C. Clean the fusing assembly.
D. Gently shake or replace the toner cartridge.
D. Vertical white lines running down the page are likely due to toner that is clogged and
not able to transfer properly to the drum. This is a common problem when the ambient air’s
humidity is too high. First remove and try gently shaking the toner cartridge to loosen the
toner. If that doesn’t work, you may have to replace the toner cartridge with a new one.
The laser printer in your office recently started creasing papers and producing paper jams.
Which of the following are likely to cause these problems? (Choose three.)
A. Bits of paper in the paper path
B. Paper tension settings
C. Using the wrong paper
D. Damaged rollers
A, C, D. Printer jams and creased paper happen when something prevents the paper from
advancing through the printer evenly. There are several reasons this could be happening. If
the rollers that pull the paper along are damaged, they won’t pick paper up properly. If the
paper is too humid it can crease, jam, or tear easily. Paper that is too thick or debris in the
paper path can cause paper to crease or jam.
You power on a desktop computer, and you hear the fan spinning. However, you do not see
any indicator lights or get a POST beep. Which component is likely causing the problem?
A. CPU
B. RAM
C. PSU
D. HDD
C. This is most likely a problem with the power supply. Test it with a power supply tester or
a multimeter. Even though the fan is spinning, the power supply might still not be providing
the correct power to run the computer. Not having any indicator lights would indicate a
problem with the power supply. If it were RAM, CPU, or HDD, there would at least be some
lights (like the power light) on.
Your computer is making an intermittent grinding noise. What component is most
likely failing?
A. Magnetic hard drive
B. Solid state drive
C. Processor fan
D. RAM
A. If you hear a grinding noise, consider yourself fortunate to have a warning that your hard
drive is failing. If you don’t have a good backup and a way to reinstall the operating system,
you’ll want to take care of that immediately then invest in a new hard drive. Solid state drives
(SSDs) and RAM don’t make any noise when they fail. A failing processor fan would result in
an overheating CPU, which would shut the system down.
You just replaced the toner cartridge on the laser printer in your office. Now you’re getting
an error message displayed on the screen. What should you try first?
A. Call the printer company’s tech support.
B. Remove and reinsert the toner cartridge.
C. Install a maintenance kit.
D. Replace the printer.
B. Whenever you’ve just replaced something and an error pops up, it’s a fairly safe assump-
tion that it had something to do with what you just replaced. A toner cartridge that isn’t
seated properly can cause an error message. Reseat it and the error might go away.
Your office uses an inkjet printer. Recently, it started having problems picking up paper.
Which component is likely to cause this problem?
A. Transport rollers
B. Pickup rollers
C. Corona wire
D. Transmission rollers
B. If your printer fails to pick up paper, it could indicate that the pickup rollers are too worn.
They press up against small rubber or cork patches known as separation pads. These help to
keep the rest of the paper in the tray so that only one sheet gets picked up at a time. A pickup
stepper motor turns the pickup rollers.
Your office uses an impact printer and multipart carbonless forms. The office manager
noticed that the bottom copies of the forms are readable, but the top copy is too light to
read. What needs to be replaced?
A. Toner cartridge
B. Printhead
C. Ink ribbon
D. Ribbon advance motor
C. Most likely, the ink ribbon has reached its maximum number of prints or has dried out.
Since the bottom copies are printing fine, the printhead is working. Replace the worn- out
ribbon and it should work fine again.
Your network uses 802.11ac for all client computers. Recently, several users moved from one
office space to another, increasing the users in the area from 20 to about 50. Now, both new
and old users are reporting very slow network transfer speeds. What is most likely the cause
of the problem?
A. 802.11ac can’t support that many concurrent users.
B. It’s too far from the wireless access point.
C. There are too many users for one wireless access point.
D. The new users all have 802.11n network cards.
C. The users are connecting; it’s just slower than it should be. This is likely due to too many
people accessing the WAP at once. The more devices there are connected, the more likely
that their signals will interfere with each other, even if the WAP hasn’t reached the theoret-
ical maximum that the manufacturer says it should support. To solve this problem, install a
second WAP.
You have installed an 802.11ac wireless access point for a company. To cut costs, the
company wanted only one central access point in the building, which is about 150 feet long.
Users at both ends of the building report intermittent wireless connectivity drops and slow
access. What is most likely the cause of the problem?
A. Low RF signal
B. Oversaturated WAP
C. SSID not found
D. IP address conflicts
A. The most common reason that users on wireless networks experience intermittent connec-
tivity issues is distance. The farther away from the WAP the user gets, the weaker the signal
becomes. When the signal weakens, the transfer rates drop dramatically. Ways to fix a low
RF signal range from using a more powerful transmitter, using a larger antenna, focusing the
signal toward where it is needed, or moving the users closer.
A customer complains that although they installed a 10 Gb Ethernet card in their server and
their cable supports 10 Gbps, the network connection is still running at 1 Gbps. What is most
likely the problem?
A. Debris in the PCIe slot
B. Faulty network cable
C. Slower switch
D. Slower PC
C. Unless you replace all the network connectivity devices with faster 10 Gbps devices,
the network will run at the slower speed. The customer needs to replace the switch with a
10 Gbps switch.
You get a call from the accounting department that their printer is printing something very
strange. There are unexpected characters and text is missing. Which of the following are
likely culprits? (Choose two.)
A. Loose or defective printer cable
B. Overheating
C. Wrong language keyboard
D. Incorrect or corrupted printer driver
A, D. Try reseating the printer’s data and power cable. The printer may need to be reset,
which can sometimes be done by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging the power back
in. If the print jobs are still garbled, replace the printer driver.
You’re having lunch with a friend. They are charging their phone and you notice that the
phone is swelling. What action should be taken first?
A. Nothing, it’s fine.
B. Disconnect the power, and turn it off.
C. Turn it off, and remove the battery if possible.
D. Replace the battery.
B. An overheating, swelling battery has the potential to explode and should be handled
carefully. If the phone is plugged in, immediately unplug it. Turn the phone off and discon-
tinue using it. While you might be able to replace the battery, for most phones you’ll need to
replace the device.
You have a laptop that the user says won’t charge up since they dropped it on the floor while
it was plugged in. It hit on the side with the charger, but it was running fine until the battery
ran out. What might be the most expedient solution?
A. Replace the motherboard.
B. Replace the power connector.
C. Solder the power jack back onto the motherboard.
D. Solder the power cord to the motherboard.
C. Most laptops have a power jack that is soldered onto the motherboard. They have been
known to be knocked loose with rough handling or when a laptop is dropped or bumped
while the power cord is plugged in. If the power jack isn’t damaged, you may be able to
rectify the problem by simply soldering the power jack back into place. If the power jack is
damaged, then you’ll need to find a replacement jack.
A user complains that their laptop charges only when they wiggle the connector and get it at
a certain angle. What will you most likely need to do?
A. Solder the port back into place.
B. Replace the port.
C. Replace the charger.
D. This can’t be fixed.
B. When a charger wiggles in the port, it’s usually a sign that the port has been damaged
by pressure against the cord plugged in, causing the port to bend out of shape. You would,
of course, check the port and the cable first, but most likely you’ll need to replace the port.
Soldering it back into place won’t help.
Lately your friend’s phone hasn’t been charging very well from the wall outlet. It charges
very slowly, if at all. Once it’s charged it seems to work OK, but when they connect it to
their laptop, the laptop doesn’t recognize the phone. What will you try first to remedy the
situation?
A. Check for debris in the charging port.
B. Spray a port cleaning solution into the phone.
C. Replace the phone battery.
D. Replace the charger block and cord.
A. Phones that are stuffed in back pockets or purses often end up with lint and other debris
in the charging port. Using canned air to remove debris from ports isn’t recommended. Try
holding the phone with the port facing downward and gently tap the phone to remove the
debris. Don’t blow into the port as this can introduce moisture into the phone. You may be
able to remove the debris with a small sewing needle, but this could also damage the port if
you’re not careful. If debris isn’t the problem, you’ll need to try some other solutions, such
as a different block and cord or replacing the battery or the port. You would never spray
cleaning solution or any liquid into the phone. If the phone is compatible with wireless charg-
ing, you could try charging the battery wirelessly to determine if the battery is the problem.
Your phone is not charging properly. When you look inside the port you can see corrosion on
the connectors. What should you do?
A. Replace the phone.
B. Replace the port.
C. Use lint- free swabs with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the connec-
tion.
D. Use a toothbrush dampened with isopropyl alcohol to brush the connector clean.
C. Corrosion can limit or totally prevent a phone’s charger port and cable from making a
connection, but you don’t necessarily need to replace the port or the phone. Tread carefully
when cleaning corrosion. Isopropyl alcohol is used to clean because it will dry very quickly.
Ensure that the phone is powered off and remove the battery if it is one that is intended to be
removed. Use as little liquid as possible on a lint- free cleaning swab, and be gentle. Never use
a toothbrush to clean the phone’s power port.
The laser printer in your office recently started producing images that are not completely set.
When the images come out, people are smudging them as they pick them up. What is causing
this problem?
A. Fusing assembly
B. Exit rollers
C. Drying assembly
D. Charging corona
A. The fusing assembly heats up the toner, and the toner melts into the paper. If the fuser
isn’t heating properly, images can smudge.
Guests in the lobby of your office are complaining that the wireless connection is often
dropped and seems to be very slow (high latency). The company president wants their visi-
tors to be happy, so they’ve asked you to take care of the situation. You analyze the wireless
signal strength in the lobby, and it is very weak compared to the rest of the building. What
are the two best solutions? (Choose two.)
A. Install wired connections in the lobby for visitors.
B. Install a WAP in the lobby.
C. Buy a faster WAP.
D. Install a wireless range extender.
B, D. Installing another wireless access point closer to where the users are will extend the
overall range of the wireless network and give them a better signal. A wireless range extender
might also do the trick. You wouldn’t install wired connections for the users because not all
visitors will have an RJ45 connection on their device or carry a cable with them. Buying a
faster WAP won’t help if the network doesn’t support it, and it doesn’t solve the issue of the
signal being weak in the lobby.
A technician is troubleshooting a computer configured for wired network connection that
can’t connect to the network. They verified that the cable is plugged in, but there are no lights
lit on the network card. The computer could connect yesterday, and no other users report an
issue. Which of the following are most likely to be causing this problem? (Choose two.)
A. Faulty network cable.
B. Faulty network card driver.
C. Incorrect TCP/IP configuration.
D. The cable is unplugged at the other end.
A, D. If the network card doesn’t have any lights, it doesn’t have a connection. It could be
that the cable is bad or that it’s not plugged in on the other side, or it could also be a problem
with the NIC or the connectivity device on the other side. If nobody else in the same area is
having the same problem, that points to an issue with this computer or cable.
You are troubleshooting network connectivity issues in one section of the building. After a
few hours, you come to the conclusion that the network cables in the wiring closet must be
mislabeled. Which tool is most appropriate to test your theory?
A. Multimeter
B. Cable tester
C. Punchdown tool
D. Tone generator and probe
D. If you need to trace a wire in a wall from one location to another, a tone generator and
probe (or toner probe) is the tool for you. It consists of two pieces: a tone generator and a
probe. Because it’s so good at tracking, you will sometimes hear this referred to as a “fox
and hound.”
You have just installed a new HP LaserJet printer on your network. You’ve plugged it directly
into a Cat 6a network cable. You try to install the printer on a client using the printer’s
IP address, but you are unable to connect. The printer is in Ready state. What should
you do next?
A. Double- check the printer’s IP configuration information.
B. Stop and restart the spooler service.
C. Take the printer offline and bring it back online.
D. Turn the printer off and back on to save the IP configuration information.
A. For network-e nabled laser printers, no connectivity can be a sign of improperly config-
ured IP settings such as the IP address. While each printer is somewhat different, you can
manually configure most laser printers’ IP settings through the LCD control panel.
Your network has recently grown from 50 client computers to about 90. All workstations
on the network are connected using Cat 6 or better cabling, and all network devices support
at least 1 Gbps data transfers. Users have been reporting very slow network speeds since the
expansion, and complaints are now coming more frequently. Which of the following actions
is most likely to help resolve the issue?
A. Add another hub to the network.
B. Upgrade all the cabling to Cat 8.
C. Upgrade the existing router to support 10 Gbps data transfers.
D. Add another switch to the network.
D. On a wired network, if you run into slow speeds or intermittent connectivity, it’s likely
a load issue. There’s too much traffic for the network to handle, and the network is bog-
ging down. Solutions include adding a switch, replacing your hubs with switches, and even
creating virtual LANs (VLANs) with switches. If you want to upgrade the cabling or con-
nectivity infrastructure to combat a speed issue, you should do all of it and not just cables
or a router.
Your junior IT administrator has identified a port on your Cisco switch that is changing bet-
ween up and down repeatedly. What have they observed?
A. Port flapping
B. Port toggling
C. Port flashing
D. Port flagging
A. This is known as port flapping, also known as link flapping. It can be caused by a faulty
or nonstandard network cable, non–Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) devices, or small form-
factor pluggable (SFP) devices that are not working or synchronizing properly.
Users have been complaining that a network resource has intermittent connectivity. You’ve
identified the problem; the switch port is flapping. The connected device is not EEE com-
pliant, and users need it to be available. What should you do?
A. Configure link flap prevention settings.
B. Replace the offending device.
C. Disable EEE on the switch.
D. Disable EEE on the device.
C. You would need to disable EEE on the switch. The port is flapping because the device
connected to it is not EEE compliant. Link flap prevention settings would disable the port
when port flapping is detected and require the network administrator to enable the port each
time it is disabled. Eventually you may want to replace the offending device, but until that is
done, disabling EEE on the switch is the best option.
A user calls you about a printer not working. The user is standing next to the printer
while you are in the next building. What can the user do to be helpful in your diagnosing
the problem?
A. Turn the printer off and on.
B. Read the printer error code.
C. Remove the jammed paper.
D. Check the network link light.
B. Without knowing the printer’s problem, it would be most helpful if the user can tell you
the error code seen on the printer’s display. The error code might signify a paper jam or no
connectivity, but knowing the error code will save the guesswork and possibly avoid creating
more problems.
A user calls to report that they can’t access the Internet or a corporate server. However, they
are still able to print to a printer nearby. They have not received any error messages. Other
users in the area are also unable to access the Internet. What is most likely the problem?
A. IP address conflict
B. Default gateway down
C. Incorrect subnet mask
D. Network card failure
B. You can immediately rule out client-s ide hardware issues because the user can connect to
some resources. You need to figure out why they can’t connect to others. This is most likely
caused by one of two things: a configuration issue or a connectivity device (such as a router)
problem. Since it’s affecting multiple people, it’s probably something to do with the router
(default gateway).
A workstation is sending print jobs directly to a printer that has a stapler as a finishing
option. When they retrieve the print job, the document is not stapled. Which of the following
could be the problem? (Choose three.)
A. The stapler is empty.
B. The staples are in backward.
C. A different printer driver is needed.
D. The stapler is not enabled.
A, C, D. The answer will depend on the specific printer, but common causes are that the
stapler is empty, a different driver is needed, or the staple unit isn’t enabled on the printer. It’s
usually physically impossible to put the staples in backward.
A message has appeared on the office copier/printer that says “Stapler Jam.” Which of the
following are true? (Choose three.)
A. The jam must be cleared before anything else is printed.
B. Print jobs not involving the stapler may still work.
C. This can be caused by trying to staple too many pages.
D. The manufacturer documentation should be consulted for procedures to follow.
B, C, D. Depending on the copier/printer, you may still be able to print to it even though the
stapler is jammed. Trying to staple too many pages or unsupported paper can certainly cause
staple jams, as well as installing the wrong staples. Since the procedure varies by company,
you’ll want to consult the manufacturer’s documentation for removing jammed staples.
You set your phone in a cubby on the dashboard of your car while you’re driving. It’s a cold
winter day in upstate New York, so you have the car’s heat on fully. When you get to your
destination and grab your phone, you discover that it has shut down and it won’t turn on
again. What do you need to do?
A. Buy a new phone.
B. Heat the phone with a blow dryer.
C. Let the phone cool down before turning it on again.
D. Remove the battery and reinstall it.
C. The phone has overheated due to the car’s heater blowing hot air on it and it is in an
area that is not ventilated. It needs to cool down before you try to use it again. The phone
wouldn’t be too cold because you had the heat on. It’s probably not necessary to buy a new
phone. Most modern phones will shut down before damage occurs, and most modern phones
don’t have batteries that are intended to be removed.
A user reports that their smartphone is always overheating and constantly locks up. What
should you advise them to do?
A. Replace the battery.
B. Open the Power app and set the phone to operate on the low voltage setting.
C. Turn off the phone and let it cool down.
D. Replace the phone.
D. If overheating is persistent, you don’t have many options. The problem is most likely the
battery and in modern mobile phones, the battery is not designed to be field replaceable. In
this case, the only option may be to replace the device.
A user reports that the video on their desktop computer does not display properly. There are
several places where the screen will not light up; those spots are always black dots. What is
this a symptom of?
A. Artifacts
B. Dead pixels
C. Backlight failure
D. Overheating
B. Dead pixels are spots on the screen that never light up. You can check for these by setting
the background to white and seeing whether any spots don’t light up. If the display is under
warranty, you may want to return it, but otherwise there isn’t much you can do to fix a
dead pixel.
A user calls the help desk stating that the icons on their computer screen are huge. They
can see only about six of them, and they can’t see the Start menu. What most likely caused
this issue?
A. Failing backlight
B. Incorrect video resolution
C. External interference, such as a fan or a motor
D. Incorrect video driver
B. Oversized images and icons are related to screen resolution; it usually means that your
resolution is set too low for the display or projector you are using. Set the resolution to the
native setting (or higher than it was) and the problem should disappear.
You are troubleshooting a desktop computer and receive S.M.A.R.T. errors. To which com-
ponent do these errors refer?
A. SSD
B. RAM
C. CPU
D. Network card
A. Nearly every hard drive is built with Self-M onitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology
(S.M.A.R.T.) software installed on it, which monitors hard drive reliability and theoretically
can warn you in the event of an imminent failure.
You are troubleshooting a computer system that received a S.M.A.R.T. error. Which of the
following will you do first?
A. Check that the system has adequate cooling/ventilation.
B. Back up the system’s data.
C. Run a drive diagnostic tool.
D. Run a RAM diagnostic tool.
B. Before you do anything else, you need to back up the system’s drive. S.M.A.R.T. (Self-
monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) errors indicate that a hard drive failure will
happen. Drive failure may be averted if the error is because of excessive heat and there is a
way to correct it; otherwise, expect the drive to fail sooner rather than later. The best course
of action is to ensure that the system is backed up regularly until a new drive can be installed.
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that they suspect has a network card
problem. They have tested their theory to determine the cause of the problem. According to
the best practice methodology to resolve problems, which step should they take next?
A. Conduct external or internal research based on symptoms.
B. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
C. Verify full system functionality.
D. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
D. CompTIA’s best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps:
The desktop computer you are troubleshooting will not retain the proper time and date. You
set the time and date, power the system down, and power it back on. Again, the settings are
incorrect. Which component is likely causing the issue?
A. CMOS battery
B. UEFI
C. Hard drive
D. RAM
A. A common issue with the BIOS/UEFI is when it fails to retain your computer’s settings,
such as time and date and hard drive configuration. The BIOS/UEFI uses a small battery
(much like a watch battery) on the motherboard to help it retain settings when the system
power is off. If this battery fails, the BIOS/UEFI won’t retain its settings. Simply replace the
battery to solve the problem.
Your friend’s iPhone always has the wrong time. You tell them it’s a simple fix. What
should they do?
A. Trade in the phone for a new one.
B. Go to Settings, select the General tab, and for Date And Time choose Set Automatically.
C. Replace the phone’s battery.
D. Update the iOS to the latest version.
B. If Set Automatically is turned off, the date and time will be based on what the user set it at
initially, which may or may not be correct.
A technician is troubleshooting a RAID 5 array with four hard disks. One of the disks has
failed. What can the technician do to recover the array?
A. Replace the failed disk and rebuild the array.
B. Replace the failed disk and restore from backup.
C. Rebuild the failed disk and restore from backup.
D. Remove the failed disk and rebuild the array.
A. If you’re using RAID 5 (disk striping with parity), a single drive failure usually means that
your data will be fine, provided you replace the failed drive. If you lose multiple drives at the
same time, you will need to restore from backup. Incidentally, the minimum number of disks
for a RAID 5 array is only three, but the additional disk to stripe across will increase speed.
The corporate finance team is getting ready for a presentation in the conference room in
about an hour. They frantically called you because the image the projector is putting on the
screen is fuzzy. Which of the following is the least likely cause?
A. The projector’s lens needs to be cleaned.
B. The projector focus needs to be adjusted.
C. The contrast setting is too high.
D. The PCs resolution is too high for the projector.
C. Of the possible issues, the least likely is the contrast setting. Having an incorrect contrast
may make the image difficult to see, but it shouldn’t make it blurry. Adjusting the focus and
cleaning the lens are easy fixes. The most likely, if they’re using their own laptop, is that the
resolution is too high for the projector. In that case, change the PCs resolution to match the
native resolution of the projector if possible. Depending on the projector, you may need to
adjust the sharpness setting or turn on automatic keystone adjustment. The position of the
projector shouldn’t matter if it’s in a room where it’s mounted to the ceiling and doesn’t get
moved; otherwise, having it too far away could also be a problem.
A user reports that regardless of what is showing on their LCD desktop display, they
can always see an outline of another image that never changes. What is the solution to
this problem?
A. Replace the video card.
B. Degauss the display.
C. Replace the display.
D. Clean the screen.
C. With artifacts, no matter what you have on your screen, you can still see the outlines of
a different image. That image has been “burned” into the display (sometimes simply referred
to as burn- in) and isn’t going away. The only solution is to replace the display. Burn- in is also
called image persistence or ghosting.
A user claims that on their laptop, the mouse cursor will occasionally jump to different areas
of the screen when they are typing. It is causing problems with their work because they end
up typing in different fields than they need to. What can you suggest that will help this issue?
A. Disable the point stick.
B. Replace the keyboard.
C. Replace the motherboard.
D. Disable the touchpad.
D. When users are typing, their palm might rest on the touchpad, causing erratic pointer
behavior. This is referred to as a ghost cursor because it seems like the cursor just randomly
jumps all over the screen. The touchpad can be turned off through Control Panel. Depending
on the OS, you disable the touchpad under Settings. You may also be able to adjust the sensi-
tivity of the touchpad. On a laptop, there may be a function button to turn the touchpad on
and off easily.
A user is complaining that the mouse drifts away on its own while they are working on their
company laptop. They have changed the batteries, gotten a new mouse pad, and cleaned the
mouse’s sensor. What should they try next to resolve the issue? (Choose two.)
A. Remove and reinstall the mouse driver.
B. Get a new mouse.
C. Plug the mouse into a different USB port.
D. Disable the mouse in control panel.
A, C. A corrupted driver can make any device behave in a nonstandard way. Check the
driver name in Device Manager, then locate and rename the driver file with a different
extension such as .old. Again in Device Manager, remove the old driver and install a new
one. The driver file being renamed keeps Windows from reusing it, and leaving it there means
you’ll still have the file to revert to if you must. There could also be a problem with connec-
tivity with the mouse port. Try using a different port to see if the problem disappears.
A coworker comes to you for help with their iPhone. When they touch the screen, it acts as if
they touched it somewhere else. They have already cleaned the touchscreen with a microfiber
cloth. What will you do to help them?
A. Download a calibration app.
B. Adjust the touch accommodations settings.
C. Suggest they get the digitizer replaced.
D. Suggest they get a new phone.
C. Most smartphones use capacitive touchscreens. Calibrating the screen is not an option.
You can check to see if something is pressing on the phone where it shouldn’t be, but other-
wise fixing this problem is likely going to require replacing the digitizer.
You’re about to refer to a vendor’s instructions for guidance. What step of the best practice
methodology to resolve problems should you be in?
A. Establish a theory of probable cause.
B. Identify the problem.
C. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
D. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.
C. Step 4 of the best practice methodology, which is establish a plan of action, includes Refer
to the vendor’s instructions. CompTIA’s best practice methodology to resolve problems con-
sists of the following steps:
Your Surface Pro tablet running Windows 10 is not responding properly to your touch ges-
tures. What will you do?
A. Buy a new tablet.
B. Use the built- in calibration software.
C. Replace the digitizer.
D. Replace the device.
B. If the touchscreen on a Microsoft Surface Pro is not working properly, search for calibrate
and select Calibrate the screen for pen or touch, then follow the onscreen instructions.
Your smartphone slipped into the ocean when you were taking pictures. You retrieved it after
a minute or so, but it was wet. What do you do?
A. Place it in a bag of rice.
B. Use a hairdryer to dry it out.
C. Nothing. It’s fine.
D. Immediately turn it off.
D. While modern smartphones are water resistant, none of them to date are waterproof. The
water- resistant feature fades over time and doesn’t protect the phone against water under
pressure (like a shower) or extreme temperatures. If your phone gets wet, immediately turn it
off. Tap it gently with the power port facing down to remove excess water and leave it off in
a well- ventilated area to allow it to dry out for several hours. A fan gently blowing cool air
into the power connector may help. Wipe any visible water off the phone with a clean, soft
cloth, but don’t stick anything into the phone’s ports. Water, especially salt water, is conduc-
tive and can cause a short in the phone that could damage or destroy it or cause the battery
to swell or explode.
A customer comes into your shop with a smartphone that is acting strangely. The sound is
distorted, and there is static when they plug in the headphones. You look into the sim card
slot and see a red line. What will you tell the customer? (Choose two.)
A. This phone may have water damage.
B. This phone has been exposed to high temperatures.
C. There is no way to fix your phone.
D. We can replace corroded components, but the fix may not last.
A, D. Water and electronics don’t mix. A darkened screen, inability to charge, and distorted
pictures and sound are all symptoms of water damage. Water inside a phone can cause a
short circuit and damage the phone or the battery. Some problems might not show up until
much later, when components have had time to corrode and lose their connectivity. Most
phones will have some type of visible indicator, like a red line, to show when the phone has
been exposed to excessive moisture.
You are troubleshooting a laptop that you suspect was infected with malware. You have
established your plan of action and implemented the solution. According to the best practice
methodology to resolve problems, which step should you take next?
A. Test the theory to determine the cause.
B. Determine next steps to solve the problem.
C. Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
D. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
C. CompTIA’s best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps:
A coworker is getting an error message that says Paper Mismatch. What do you tell them to
do? (Choose three.)
A. Verify that the setting is correct in printer properties or tray properties depending on the
printer.
B. Ensure they’ve selected the right paper size in their software.
C. Remove and replace the paper in the tray, and verify the paper guides are properly
placed.
D. Change their orientation in the software.
A, B, C. Exactly what to do will depend on the printer and software being used, but most
likely it’s a default setting somewhere either on the printer or in the software. It could also
be caused by the paper guide being inadvertently moved when paper was placed in the tray.
Changing the orientation of the paper won’t fix this problem as a paper mismatch or wrong
paper size error means exactly that. There is a disconnect between the paper they’re telling
the software to print on and the paper size that the printer believes is in the tray.
You’ve recently doubled the number of employees in your call center. Users of your compa-
ny’s VoIP phones have been complaining that the calls sound like the person on the other end
is stuttering, if they can understand them at all. What can you do to remedy this situation?
(Choose two.)
A. Add more RAM to each VoIP phone.
B. Set up a VLAN for the phones.
C. Configure QoS to prioritize phones.
D. Configure WoL.
B, C. What the users are experiencing is called jitter. There can be many causes for jitter, but
setting up a VLAN for the phones to segment traffic may help as well as configuring Quality
of Service (QoS) to prioritize the phone traffic. WoL is Wake- on- LAN, a feature to remotely
turn on a computer. Most VoIP phones don’t have user- upgradable RAM.
Laser printer users are complaining that their print jobs aren’t printing. They’re using an
accounting package that won’t let them reprint the reports they have printed. When you look
at the print queue you see their print jobs just sitting there. What will you do? (Choose two.)
A. Ensure the printer is turned on.
B. Ensure there is paper in the printer.
C. Stop and restart the print server service.
D. Delete and reinstall the printer in the OS.
A, B. Always look for the simple things first. Is the printer turned on? Does it have the right
paper in the selected tray? Restarting the print server service will delete all the jobs in the
queue, which would result in some very upset accountants. So would deleting and reinstalling
the printer in the OS. If one particular job is causing problems, you may be able to stop that
print job and print the others, then try to resolve the problem with that one print job.
A presenter using a projector is near the end of a lengthy presentation when an audible pop is
heard, and the image goes dark. What will you do to fix the situation?
A. Allow the projector to cool down awhile.
B. Unplug the projector, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in.
C. Reset the lamp timer.
D. Replace the projector bulb.
D. An audible pop sound and darkness is most likely the projector bulb burning out. It’s time
to replace the bulb. Most projectors will have an indicator light or will display a message
telling you that the bulb is near its end-o f- life, so hopefully you will have already purchased
one and have it on hand. Projectors should not be unplugged without allowing the fan to
cool the lamp down. Resetting the lamp timer would be done when the bulb is replaced so
that it can keep track of remaining bulb life for you.
