Comptia A+ 901: Part 1

Question 1

What type of components might you find inside a PC?
A. RAM
B. CPU
C. Mouse
D. Printer
E. Cable modem
F. Motherboard

Answer 1

A, B, and F.

Common components found inside a PC are RAM, Motherboards, hard drives, CPUs, adapter cards and power supplies.

You would not find keyboards, mice, cable modems or printers. These are output devices which are located outside of a PC.

Question 2

Which of the following will be the first to receive heat leaving a processor?

A) Case Fan
B) CPU FAN
C) Heat Sink
D) Thermal Paste

Answer 2

D) Thermal Paste

Thermal paste (or Thermal grease) is designed to conduct heat traveling between two elements. In this case, Thermal paste allows heat to efficiently leave the processor and travel to the heat sink.

Question 3

Select the option that could properly be used to describe the characteristics of a VGA cable?

A) VGA supports both audio and video
B) VGA uses analog signals
C) VGA uses the standard db-9 connector
D) VGA uses digital signals

Answer 3

B) VGA uses analog signals

Video Graphics Array (VGA) cables use analog signals and a 15 pin connector.

Question 4

You are an IT Support Technician for a large office building. A user is complaining their laptop often does not charge or stops charging if they move it. What is most likely the issue?

A) CMOS Battery
B) Laptop’s DC Jack
C) The wall outlet nearest to the client’s desk
D) Laptop’s AC Jack

Answer 4

B) Laptop’s DC Jack

The DC jack is where the power adapter feeds power to the laptops power supply, and can often break due to heat or become loose over time.

Question 5

A supervisor has asked you to update the BIOS on a customer’s laptop. Where is the best place to find the correct BIOS firmware?

A) Third party website
B) BIOS developer website
C) Microsoft
D) Manufacturer’s website

Answer 5

D) Manufacturer’s website

The best place to find any firmware or software upgrade for a device is through manufacture support. Although it may be possible to find the correct software elsewhere, the manufacture is likely to have tested each version prior to release.

Question 6

You need to configure a SOHO network to provide IP Addresses to devices on the network. Which feature should be enabled?

A) DNS
B) MAC Filtering
C) SSID BCST
D) DHCP

Answer 6

D) DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is the protocol responsible for assigning IP addresses.

Question 7

Of the following choices, which is an industry standard protocol used by computer networks to assign IP Addresses to network nodes and devices?

A) DNS
B) ARP
C) RARP
D) DHCP

Answer 7

D) DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) assigns IP’s to network devices. Domain Name Service (DNS) translates between IP Addresses and Domain names. Address Resolution Protocol translates between IP Addresses and MAC Addresses (Reverse-ARP, RARP does the opposite)

Question 8

You are trying to use RDP to control a Windows computer from your office to an accountant’s computer in the corporate office building. What port should be opened in the firewalls between the two locations?

A) 21
B) 22
C) 3389
D) 143

Answer 8

C) 3389

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) uses port 3389 to communicate.

Question 9

You are a Desktop Technician in a company’s IT Department. You need to find the hardware specifications of a desktop, however the device does not have an operating system installed. Which of the following options will display this information?

A) MBR
B) BIOS
C) TPM
D) None of the above

Answer 9

B) BIOS

The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) firmware application will display information like the CPU, RAM and hard drive information. It is not necessary to have an operating system installed to utilize the BIOS.

Question 10

Which of the following is the default TCP/IP port for the standard HTTP protocol?

A) TCP 80
B) TCP 22
C) TCP 23
D) TCP 443

Answer 10

A) TCP 80

The Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) uses port TCP 80 by default. The encrypted version (HTTPS) uses TCP 443.

Question 11

What CAT version is RATED to provide a transmission speed of 1000 Mbps?

A) CAT3
B) CAT5e
C) CAT6
D) None of the above

Answer 11

B) CAT5e

CAT5e is rated at 1000 megabits per second.

Question 12

Which of the following properly describes the basic operating of a layer 2 network switch?

A) Transmits packets it receives to specific connections, based on MAC address.
B) Enables packets to be sent from one network to another
C) Determines if a packet is safe for a network
D) Broadcasts packets it receives to all connections

Answer 12

A) Transmits packets it receives to specific connections, based on MAC address.

A switch will route packets to one connection, based on the destination MAC Address.

Question 13

Which of the following network standards can operate at two different channel widths on the same spectrum simultaneously?

A) 802.11g
B) 802.11n
C) 802.11b
D) 802.11a

Answer 13

B) 802.11n

Using “channel bonding” the 802.11n wireless standard is capable of operating on two separate channels at the same time. This feature allows 802.11n networks to double their bandwidth, however it can result in increases interference and power usage.

Question 14

Which of the following options would typically be associated with encryption?

A) Memory
B) CPU
C) TPM
D) UEFI

Answer 14

C) TPM

TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a standard cryptoprocessor used to store cryptographic keys

Question 15

A customer is explaining their PC’s symptoms, but you already know what the issue is. Which is the most appropriate action?

A) Continue listening to the customer’s explanation, when they are done refer them to a website to find a solution
B) Ask the customer to repeat the problem and all the symptoms several times, for clarity.
C) Finish listening to their explanation and then explain the solutions
D) Politely interrupt them and tell them your solutions.

Answer 15

C) Finish listening to their explanation and then explain the solutions

You should always do your best not to interrupt a customer while they are speaking, unless it going to take an excessive amount of time.

Question 16

Which of the following is a GUI based BIOS software application?

A) UEFI
B) POST
C) Grub
D) MBR

Answer 16

A) UEFI

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a GUI based BIOS application that has replaced many Legacy BIOS systems.

Question 17

ECC type memory would be most commonly found in which type of device?

A) Tablet
B) Desktop
C) Gaming laptop
D) Server

Answer 17

D) Server

ECC memory is most commonly found in servers because a server has a much higher load and fault tolerance requirement than an average computer or device.

Question 18

Which of the following wireless communication standards requires LOS in order to operate?

A) Bluetooth
B) IR
C) RF
D) WiFi

Answer 18

B) IR

Infrared is a wireless technology that requires a clear path between communication devices. A good example of this, is a TV Remote.

Question 19

Why would you use plenum rated cables when installing new cabling in a data-center?

A) Efficiently reduces EMI and cross talk in STP cabling
B) Allows cabling to be easily bent without snapping
C) Reduction in hazardous fumes in the event of a fire
D) Ensures an intruder cannot wire tap your cabling

Answer 19

C) Reduction in hazardous fumes in the event of a fire

Plenum is a special material used to jacket a cable, this jacket is fire retardant and will reduce the amount of hazardous fumes in the air if the cable is subject to a fire.

Question 20

Which of the following properly describes the purpose of a KVM?

A) Allows for touch screen interaction
B) Allows for one set of peripherals to control multiple computers
C) Allows for one computer to be viewed on many monitors at once
D) Enhanced graphics for video games

Answer 20

B) Allows for one set of peripherals to control multiple computers

A KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) Switch is used to use a single set of peripherals with multiple physical machines.

Question 21

You are a Server Administrator at a small company. Company policy dictates that all remote connections must be encrypted and accessed using some form of authentication. Which of the following will allow a user to upload a large file from home, while adhering to company policy?

A) SSH
B) SMTP
C) SFTP
D) FTP

Answer 21

C) SFTP

Secure-FTP (or SSH-FTP) uses Secure Shell (SSH) to encrypt a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) connection. This allows you to upload files to a SFTP server on a secure connection. FTP servers can also be configured to require a username/password as authentication.

Question 22

Which of the following network topologies provides the most redundancy to protect against network outages?

A) Mesh
B) Ring
C) Bus
D) Star

Answer 22

A) Mesh

In a Mesh network topology every network node (router, switch, hub, etc) is connected to every other network node. If a connection breaks, the node can easily communicate with another through multiple existing connections. In reality this is too complex to implement in a large network, but it is still very common to see a hybrid network with several mesh style layers.

Question 23

When should a static IP Address be used?

A) User workstations
B) When using CIDR addressing
C) Thin clients
D) Servers

Answer 23

D) Servers

Servers should always be given a static IP Address to ensure it can be quickly resolved and any applications using the IP address do not need to be reconfigured.

Question 24

You are a network technician for a consulting company. A small company with several wireless access points has been experiencing intermittent outages for employees near the break room. What is most likely the cause?

A) Line of Sight
B) Cross talk
C) Infrared radiation
D) Microwave causing interference

Answer 24

D) Microwave causing interference

Microwave ovens operate on the 2.4 Ghz frequency, same as most WiFi networks. The intermittent outages are likely being caused by people using the microwave oven in the break room.

Question 25

Which TCP port number is used by Post Office Protocol 3?

A) 110
B) 143
C) 125
D) 25

Answer 25

A) 110

POP3 (Post Office Protocol) uses TCP 110 to communicate.

In computing, the Post Office Protocol (POP) is an application-layer Internet standard protocol used by local e-mail clients to retrieve e-mail from a remote server over a TCP/IP connection. POP has been developed through several versions, with version 3 (POP3) being the last standard in common use before largely being made obsolete by the more advanced …

Question 26

You are a Desktop and Laptop Technician for a small computer repair shop. A customer on a limit budget has asked you to upgrade their laptop in order to increase performance. Which of the following components can be easily replaced or upgraded?

A) Video Card
B) Processor
C) Motherboard
D) RAM

Answer 26

D) RAM

Laptop designs often make it difficult to upgrade or change components like video cards, processors and motherboards. RAM and Hard drives are typically easily accessible and cost effective to upgrade in a laptop.

Question 27

How many pins are present in SATA data and power cables?

A) 15 for power and 7 for data
B) 8 for data and 12 for power
C) 40 for data and 4 for power
D) 15 for both power and data

Answer 27

A) 15 for power and 7 for data

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) has two main connector types. The power connector is larger with 15 pins, while the data connector is 7 pins. Both are an L shape to avoid inserting a connector incorrectly.

Question 28

While troubleshooting a hardware issue on the laptop you have come to the conclusion that there is a physical issue with one of the laptop’s components. The laptop is not plugged into an external power source, what is the next step before opening the laptop’s case?

A) Pop the keyboard off
B) Unhinge the LCD Screen
C) Unplug the laptop from the power souce
D) Remove battery

Answer 28

D) Remove battery

All power sources should be disconnected from the laptop before accessing any internal components. This includes the power supply or charging cable as well as the device’s battery.

Question 29

Your supervisor has asked you to record the IP version 6 addresses of several SUSE Linux systems into a spreadsheet. Which command can you use to obtain this information?

A) IPCONFIG
B) Echo || ip -6
C) IFCONFIG
D) NETSTAT

Answer 29

C) IFCONFIG

IFCONFIG (Interface Configuration) is a command line tool on Unix-like systems to display network configuration details. The Windows equivalent is IPCONFIG. Unix-like systems typically refers to Unix, Linux, BSD and OSX operating systems.

Question 30

Which protocol uses the well known TCP port 443?

A) Telnet
B) HTTPS
C) SLP
D) SSH

Answer 30

B) HTTPS

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), sometimes referred to as HTTP-SSL uses port 443 to communicate.

Question 31

Which of the following options can be used as a storage device to boot an operating system?

A) FDISK
B) DDR2
C) USB Drive
D) HDMI

Answer 31

C) USB Drive

A USB Drive is the only device or component that can be used as a boot device.

Question 32

You are a network technician for a small consulting company. A client has asked you to evaluate options for several SOHO networks to allow employees to work from home. The company has a very strict policy that disallows wireless networks. Which of the following is the most cost effective option?

A) PoE
B) Power-line communication
C) Wiring each home with ethernet drops
D) 802.11i

Answer 32

B) Power-line communication

Power-line communication will allow a SOHO network to be built using ethernet power adapters which is much cheaper than running cable. Power-line communication allows the use of the ethernet protocol over electrical power wiring.

Question 33

A large company has a nation-wide network, consisting of several smaller networks linked through a VPN and the internet. Which term would best apply to this network?

A) WLAN
B) LAN
C) MAN
D) WAN

Answer 33

D) WAN

A Wide-Area-Network (WAN) is a series of smaller networks that are linked together to form a single, large network. Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) are very similar to WANs, but are geographically smaller and typically used by city governments and universities.

Question 34

Your supervisor has asked you to bring her a DE-15 connector. Which of the following is she referring to?

A) S-Video
B) DVI-A
C) DVI-D
D) VGA

Answer 34

D) VGA

VGA uses a 15 pin DE connector

Question 35

You have recently started as a network technician for a small finance company. The company has been experiencing network outages and very slow transmission speeds. The network has 6 hubs and 1 router, what is most likely causing the poor network performance?

A) Cross talk
B) Hubs can only broadcast packets
C) Hubs conduct deep packet inspections by default
D) None of the above

Answer 35

B) Hubs can only broadcast packets

Hubs are not intelligent enough to route packets to their destination. Instead they broadcast any data they receive out of every port (except the port they receive it on). Hubs cause large amounts of unnecessary packets that will clog a network.

Question 36

You are a IT Analyst for a large chain of stores. Your department has been asked to evaluate accepting payments through wireless transmission from mobile devices. Which standard technology are they referring to?

A) Bluetooth
B) IR
C) WiFi
D) NFC

Answer 36

D) NFC

Near Field Communication (NFC) is the standard wireless protocol behind wireless payment options such as Android Pay and Apple Pay.

Question 37

You are an IT Support Specialist for a medium sized company. An executive is traveling overseas and does not want his company phone to cause any data or service related fees. Which of the following solutions will ensure this does not occur?

A) Toggle the phone’s GPS off
B) Activate Airplane mode
C) Disable the WiFi antenna
D) Place the phone in ad-hoc mode

Answer 37

B) Activate Airplane mode

Airplane mode will disable any cellular transmission functionality and will keep the phone from using any data or services while in a foreign country. WiFi will still be enabled while in Airplane mode.

Question 38

Which type of motherboard expansion slot has various speeds such as x16 and x32?

A) CNR
B) PCI
C) PCIe
D) AGP

Answer 38

C) PCIe

PCIe, or PCI-Express, comes in x1, x4, x8, x16, x32 speeds. The size of the expansion slot also varies depending on type used.

Question 39

Your motherboard has 4 memory slots - 2 blue and 2 black. How should you arrange your memory?

A) Slowly memory in blue, faster in black.
B) NVRAM in blue, RAM in black
C) Put equal size/speed of RAM in the slots, so that each slot matches its paired slot color.
D) Primary ram in blue, backup ram in black.

Answer 39

C) Put equal size/speed of RAM in the slots, so that each slot matches its paired slot color.

All the memory does not have to match, but each slot must match its pair. Meaning both black must match, and both blue must match, but the black and blue slots do not need to match eachother.

Question 40

You are planning the installation of several wireless access points in a large warehouse. The access points are typically located on the ceiling far away from power sources. Which technology could be used to power the device?

A) Power-line communication
B) Ethernet Repeater
C) PoE
D) Loopback plug

Answer 40

C) PoE

Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows a device to use an ethernet cable as a power source and it’s data/network connection. Using PoE the wireless access points will not need separate power and data connections.

Question 41

You are a server support technician for a data warehouse company. Recently a Windows based server has had several unexpected shut downs. Where should you look first for more information?

A) Event Viewer
B) Task Manager
C) CHKDSK
D) Boot Recorder

Answer 41

A) Event Viewer

On Windows based systems the Event Viewer will display a detailed log of events such as application crashes, power losses and other debugging information for the operating system, third party applications and hardware.

Question 42

Which of the following devices or systems is critical in the event of a power outage?

A) UPS
B) Power strip
C) Line conditioner
D) Surge Distributor

Answer 42

A) UPS

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is a backup power supply that can be used in the event of a power outage. Typically a UPS only has 10-15 minutes of power and is intended to allow systems to continue functioning briefly or be powered off safely as opposed to being a long term backup resource.

Question 43

Your company is planning on issuing all management employees an iPhone 6S and an iPad pro. All of the work stations in the office have USB ports, what type of cable is needed to connect these new devices to the devices to their work station?

A) USB to Lightning cable
B) USB to USB C cable
C) USB to USB mini cable
D) USB to MicroUSB cable

Answer 43

A) USB to Lightning cable

The only ports that the iPhoneS and iPad Pro have for interacting with a computer are Lightning ports, thus USB to Lightning cable is the correct answer.

Question 44

An old Linux server is having USB driver problems and your co-worker needs to bring a different type of keyboard or an adapter. What type of keyboard/adapter is likely needed?

A) Lightning
B) Firewire
C) PS/2
D) Bluetooth

Answer 44

C) PS/2

PS/2 is an older port type that was predominately used for input devices like keyboards and mice. Lightning is a newer technology used primarily in Apple products. Firewire is not a likely answer, input devices for firewire is rare/nonexistent. Bluetooth is not likely to be supported on a server, especially an old server.

Question 45

There is a network (RJ45) port in your office, recently it stopped working. There is no connectivity provided when you plugin to it. The cable and your NIC are known-good, you need to make sure the cable on the back-end of the port is connected but the wiring closet is a disaster. Which tool will assist with this?

A) Tone generator/probe
B) Loopback plug
C) PING
D) Cable tester

Answer 45

A) Tone generator/probe

Tone generator/probe will help you identify which cable runs to your office so you can see if it is connected. A loopback plug is for testing the NIC, which we already confirmed good. PING is an application/command used to test network connectivity, it won’t help here. A cable tester would likely be the next tool used once we find our cable and confirm that it is connected.

Question 46

A user working in a warehouse calls and tells you that his computer keeps freezing or rebooting at random, it makes an annoying high-pitch squeak/squeal when running. What is likely to be the issue?

A) Overheating/fan issues
B) Battery not charging
C) Sticking keys
D) Bad driver software

Answer 46

A) Overheating/fan issues

Warehouses are often very dusty, which could cause a fan to stop working and promote overheating. These symptoms (freezing/rebooting) indicate overheating, the noise could be a failing fan. These symptoms do not indicate a battery issue or sticky keys. They could a bad driver, but coupled with the noise it and location is not likely.

Question 47

There is a printer shared via Windows File and Printer sharing on your SOHO network. When your husband attempts to print he receives an “Access Denied” error. Where should you look to correct this issue?

A) The Security tab under Printing Preference on your husband’s computer
B) The Security tab under Printing Preference on the host computer
C) The Security tab under Printer Properties on your husband’s computer
D) The Security tab under Printer Properties on the host computer

Answer 47

D) The Security tab under Printer Properties on the host computer

The Security tab under Printer Properties on the host computer is where you set the permissions for a shared printer, thus it is the correct answer. There is no Security tab under Printing Preferences which is where you set print quality, paper orientation, etc.

Question 48

Your boss wants you to come up with a solution for allowing people to easily move their laptops between work and home without having to reconnect cables for the mouse, keyboard, network, monitor, etc. What technology will enable this?

A) Cable lock
B) Docking Station
C) Wireless
D) USB Hub

Answer 48

B) Docking Station

A docking station is the only listed that will allow you to quickly connect a monitor, network cable, and input devices to the laptop. A cable lock is a physical security device. Monitors do not typically support a wireless connection, and a USB hub does not usually support monitor output or network connections.

Question 49

You sit down at an unfamiliar server with a black prompt, you decide to identify the server by checking its IP address. You type ipconfig and it responds “bash: ipconfig: command not found…,” what command will likely give you the information you’re looking for?

A) Netstat
B) Ifconfig
C) Nslookup
D) Tracert

Answer 49

B) Ifconfig

The computer is likely a Linux/Unix (*nix) machine, ifconfig is the appropriate command to find the IP address in a *nix OS. Netstat will show active connections but not the IP address. Nslookup is for querying DNS. Tracert is not likely to work on a *nix box, nor will it display for IP since it is used for showing path information to a remote system.

Question 50

The cursor on your laptop keeps drifting in the same direction, you disconnect your mouse and this continues to happen regardless of you using the touchpad. What actions can you take to remedy this?

A) Replace your mouse, it has caused driver issues with the touchpad
B) Disable the touchpad, see if the problem persists
C) Ensure none of the arrow keys are stuck
D) Ensure that Scroll Lock is on

Answer 50

B) Disable the touchpad, see if the problem persists

The touchpad is likely damaged or has driver issues, a temporary fix might be disabling it and using a mouse. There is no indication that mouse drivers are causing this problem. The arrow keys and Scroll Lock do not usually influence cursor movement.

Question 51

The clock on your computer keeps falling out of sync, you have to set it each time you restart the computer or power it on. The offset is never consistent. What should you do to correct this issue?

A) Check the timezone settings
B) Replace the fan, the system is overheating
C) Replace the CMOS battery
D) Ensure that port 321 is not blocked

Answer 51

C) Replace the CMOS battery

Since the offset is inconsistent and the clock issues seem to revolve around the system not being powered on it could be a CMOS battery issue. If it were an NTP (port 321) or timezone issue you would likely see a consistent offset. None of these symptoms are typical of an overheating system.

Question 52

You are configuring a static IP address on a Windows system and realize the netmask is written as “/25,” what is the proper way to input this into the network configuration for this system?

A) /25
B) 255.255.255.128
C) 255.255.255.192
D) 255.255.255.0

Answer 52

B) 255.255.255.128

255.255.255.128 is the correct answer. Windows does not allow you to input CIDR for network configurations. 255.255.255.192 is a /26 netmask, 255.255.255.0 is a /24 netmask.

Question 53

You have been tasked by the Network Team to assign a server a new static IP address. You are receiving an error when attempting to apply the IP 172.256.1.15 with a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0. What is the issue causing the error?

A) The DHCP server isn’t assigning an IP address, so it has generated an APIPA address
B) The IP address is invalid
C) 172 is a class bravo IP but the subnet is class alpha
D) There is not enough information provided to determine the problem

Answer 53

B) The IP address is invalid

Each octet of an IP must be between 0-255 but the second octet of this IP is 256. The IP is not an APIPA and DHCP would not affect manually setting a static IP. Classes are used to determine the default subnet mask for an IP but you are not required to use it, therefor the class B address can be used with the class A subnet mask.

Question 54

You are in charge of purchasing new computers for the office, they need to “boot fast and store large video files for editing, don’t blow your budget either.” The systems only have room for one type of storage device and one type of optical device. What is the best drive to meet these requirements?

A) SSD
B) HDD
C) Hybrid Drive
D) Tape Drive

Answer 54

C) Hybrid Drive

A hybrid drive will meet these requirements, it is more affordable than an SSD and quicker than a HDD. A tape drive is more of a backup tool, and is slow, not ideal for regular use as described.

Question 55

You are having issues connecting/consoling to a Linux server hosting a database of customer information from your home machine, you think the problems are being caused by a blocked port on your firewall. Which port on your firewall is likely to cause this sort of an issue if blocked?

A) Port 22
B) Port 23
C) Port 80
D) Port 3389

Answer 55

A) Port 22

Port 22 (SSH) is the best answer, SSH is used for secure communications such as console connections to a remote server. Port 23 is for TELNET and is not a secure connection, it is unlikely (or a horrible practice) that TELNET would be used to connect to a sensitive database. Port 80 is for HTTP traffic, not for console connections. Port 3389 is for RDP, and would not usually be used for a console connection but a remote desktop connection.

Question 56

You need to make a backup of a small database storing customer information for historical records. The database is about 5.5 GB in size. Of the options, which is the best storage media for this task?

A) CD-R
B) CD-RW
C) DVD-R
D) DVD-R DL

Answer 56

D) DVD-R DL

Of the options provided DVD-R DL is the only one with the capacity (8.5GB) to support this. Both CD options have a 0.7GB capacity, and a DVD-R has a 4.7GB capacity.

Question 57

You are called to look at a co-workers computer. It is not powering on, no fans start, there is no sound, and no lights turn on when the power button is pushed. What should you do first?

A) Check the power cable
B) Replace the power supply
C) Replace the CMOS battery
D) Check the boot sequence in the BIOS/UEFI

Answer 57

A) Check the power cable

Checking the power cable is the most logical answer. You do not know if the power supply is good yet, so replacing it would be premature. These symptoms are not indicative of a CMOS battery issue or a boot sequence issue (also, you can’t access the BIOS/UEFI if there is no power).

Question 58

You’re setting up a SOHO and want to setup a dedicated backup server with 2 HDDs. You will be backing up valuable files like family pictures and tax forms, so you value redundancy and reliability over speed. What is the best configuration for this server?

A) Dualcore Processing
B) Raid 0
C) Raid 1
D) Raid 5

Answer 58

C) Raid 1

RAID 1 is the only technology that meets the goals stated (redundancy) for the current setup. Dualcore processing is for processing, not storage/backups. RAID 0 is for speed, not redundancy. RAID 5 offers redundancy but requires 3 or more storage devices, you only have 2 HDDs.

Question 59

Your supervisor decides he wants to transition the office from a fiber connection to a satellite connection. The office relies on the connection for VoIP, email and cloud storage. You find that the prices for satellite connections are cheaper. Why would you advise against this change?

A) You don’t, saving money and no performance change is a great idea
B) The latency from the satellite connection would adversely impact VoIP
C) This would likely require re-wiring the whole network, outweighing any cost savings
D) Encryption is not available over satellite connections this could be a compliance/security issue

Answer 59

B) The latency from the satellite connection would adversely impact VoIP

Satellite connections often have notable delay/latency issues which would be unacceptable for VoIP and video conferences, they are also negatively impacted by weather. The hand-off for satellite is likely RJ-45 or something similar, you may need a new modem but re-wiring the entire network is an unlikely requirement. Satellite connections can be used with encryption.

Question 60

What type of network cabling has 2 pairs and traditionally only utilizes 1 of the pairs?

A) RJ-11
B) RJ-45
C) Coax
D) 4-pin 12V

Answer 60

A) RJ-11

RJ-11 supports both a 1 (2 wire) and 2 (4 wire) pair configuration, typically used in telephone systems only 1 pair is traditionally utilized. RJ-45 has 4 pairs (8 wires), Coax has 1 wire, and 4-pin 12V is for power supplies.

Question 61

A user complains that he can no longer see any wireless networks, connect to his bluetooth headset, or make phone calls on his Android phone. What do you suggest to fix this issue?

A) Dial *228
B) Disable Airplane Mode
C) Ensure the phone is not overheating
D) Try using the phone outdoors

Answer 61

B) Disable Airplane Mode

These “symptoms” describe a phone that is in airplane mode. Dialing *228 on some cell networks may improve reception, but it will not address issues with WiFi or bluetooth. The same can be said about using the phone outdoors. These symptoms do not describe an overheating phone.

Question 62

You want to move from using physical servers to using virtual servers/machines (VMs) while utilizing the same hardware that is currently in place. You need to make sure this is possible, what feature must your CPU support?

A) Virtualization
B) Hyperthreading
C) Multiple cores
D) Dual voltage options

Answer 62

A) Virtualization

If your processor does not support virtualization you cannot run VMs on the server. Hyperthreading and multicore processors are nice-to-have but not essential. Dual voltage options are for power supplies, not processing.

Question 63

Which medium can travel the farthest distance while losing minimal data?

A) USB 3.0
B) CAT5e UTP
C) CAT6 STP
D) Fiber

Answer 63

D) Fiber

Because Fiber cabling uses light, it can travel extremely far distances while losing a very small amount of data.

Question 64

You are installing a floppy drive into a new desktop PC, what should you check for before purchasing or installing?

A) Ensure BIOS is updated
B) Ensure power supply has a Berg connector
C) Ensure power supply has correct floppy driver
D) None of the above

Answer 64

B) Ensure power supply has a Berg connector

A Berg adapter is used to supply power from the power supply, to the floppy drive. Some newer power supplies do not come with a berg due to low demand for floppy drives. You can purchase molex->berg adapters to fix this issue.

Question 65

A 802.11g wireless network has a max speed of?

A) 11Mbps
B) 54Mbps
C) 1Gbps
D) 72Mbps

Answer 65

B) 54Mbps

802.11g is capable of communicating at speeds up to 54 Megabits per second.

Question 66

What type of expansion card can record security footage from a CCTV system?

A) Video recording software
B) PCI TV Tuner
C) PCIe16 Video Adapter card
D) NIC

Answer 66

B) PCI TV Tuner

A TV Tuner allows you to input various inputs such as coax, HDMI, and RGB video.

Question 67

You want to host a gaming server for you and your friends to play on. Where on your network would you place it?

A) DMZ
B) Separate subnet
C) Next to your router
D) None of the above

Answer 67

A) DMZ

A DMZ will allow your server to be accessed through the internet, but keep it separate from your local LAN. This ensures your LAN is still secure if the server is attacked.

Question 68

You are a PC Support technician and you have been asked to select components to build a computer that will be used for CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Drafting/Computer Aided Modeling). Which components are the BEST TWO choices?

A) MIDI sound card
B) Onboard graphics
C) Triple channel memory
D) TV tuner
E) Socket 1366 CPU

Answer 68

C) Triple channel memory
E) Socket 1366 CPU

EXPLANATION:

Intel’s 1366 platform uses an enormous 12MB L3 cache, a triple-channel RAM design as well as a superfast system bus, QuickPath Interconnect or QPI. Although not the latest technology, thanks to Hyper-Threading, this is still a very popular solution on many parallel processors, with the ability to service 12 threads simultaneously. However today Sandy Bridge Core i5 (not in the A+ exam objectives) is a strong alternative. Bottom line is if you are using really processor heavy software like CAD/CAM 1366 is clearly a contender.

Triple channel memory as the name indicates trebles the memory speed and performance. Not too many processors handle this but The LGA 1366 platform does support DDR3 triple-channel. It typically would run 1333 and 1600Mhz but, on certain motherboards, it can run at higher clock speeds.

Click here for the 220-801 & 220-802 A+ practice tests. The A+ 220-801 & 220-802 exams are available in the testing centers till June 30, 2016. CompTIA traditionally allows for an overlap between the new and “old” exam objectives.

Question 69

A technician is not able to boot to Windows OS. A “Non-bootable device found” message appears on the screen when the computer restarts. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the error message?

A) HDD is set to Cable Select.
B) A bootable HDD is not recognized in the BIOS.
C) Corrupt files in the operating system.
D) A rootkit has been installed.

Answer 69

B) A bootable HDD is not recognized in the BIOS.

EXPLANATION:

Verify that your hard drive is detected by the BIOS or that you can see your new hard disk (if applicable) on the boot screen. Some computers have this option enabled, where you can see other components as well. To see it press the DEL, F1 or F2 key at boot screen. The most obvious sign that BIOS is unable to detect a hard drive is of course that the BIOS is not registering the hard drive. Note that on some boards, the hard drive with the bootable OS must be connected to the first SATA connector. This one is typically labeled SATA 0 (zero). The last detractor “A rootkit has been installed” gives access, doesn’t block and so is unlikely to cause the event.

Question 70

There are several alternatives available to satisfy the built in mass storage needs of computers. Which of the following are current hard drive technologies? (Choose three)

A) Magnetic drive
B) Tape drive
C) Hybrid drive
D) Solid State Drive
E) Floppy disk
F) Digital versatile disc

Answer 70

A) Magnetic drive
D) Solid State Drive
C) Hybrid drive

EXPLANATION:

On today’s computers a hard drive can be either of the three following: a magnetic drive, a solid state drive, or a hybrid drive. Magnetic drives are still the most commonly encountered technology but it is slowly being overtaken by Solid State Drives (SSD). Mainly the complaint with magnetic drives is that they are unreliable and potentially slow. When files are physically written on a magnetic hard drive in fragmented bits and pieces (the entire file is distributed over different parts of the drive), low performance and sluggish access speeds will be the outcome. If the magnetic drive becomes over-filled with data (and this can happen anywhere north of 85% capacity) this may cause a fatal crash and the drive and data can be lost. A solid state drive contains flash memory and is more expensive, faster, more reliable, and uses less power than a magnetic drive. Access speeds feel lightning fast (no actuator arms have to “look around” for the files) and the chances of a fatal crash due to actuator arms scratching the disks is eliminated with this technology. A hybrid hard drive (H-HHD) also known as a solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD), uses both technologies. The flash component (otherwise used by the SSD) serves as a buffer to the physical search by actuator arms on the magnetic disk. Some hybrid drives offer performance at level with the SSD drives. However, because magnetic disks still have to be read, the reliability issues cited above remain on the hybrid hard drive solution.
The tape drive by definition is not a “hard” drive solution. The floppy disk technology is so outdated it’s not even part of the 220-902 exam objectives. Finally the digital versatile disc is a DVD and so not a built in mass memory solution.

Question 71

You have been called in to help a user who has a monitor problem. She describes it as distorted geometry. She says that her images are stretched weirdly and that it causes the proportionality of the image to be off. What is the MOST probable cause to this condition?

A) The calibrate color setting is off
B) The resolution is set incorrectly for this monitor
C) The monitor has dead pixels
D) Your browser zoom is set incorrectly

Answer 71

B) The resolution is set incorrectly for this monitor

EXPLANATION:

LCD monitors will not experience distorted geometry if the resolution is set to the native resolution. So if monitor shows distorted geometry where images are stretched inappropriately, adjust the resolution. Also a low resolution can cause oversized images or icons. To adjust screen resolution, click Change display settings in the Display window. If adjusting the resolution doesn’t correct oversized images or icons, try updating the video drivers. If adjusting the resolution doesn’t correct oversized images or icons, try updating the video drivers.

Question 72

You have been called in by a user that complains that nothing happens when he pokes at his iPhone. Your first step is to try to replicate and sure enough the touch screen is unresponsive. Which of the following solutions would you try first? (Choose two)

A) Click Start > Device Manager and reset the touch screen driver
B) If there is a case or screen protector, remove it
C) Wipe the screen with window cleaner
D) Restart the device
E) In classic view, open Control Panel and click Settings

Answer 72

B) If there is a case or screen protector, remove it

D) Restart the device

EXPLANATION:

The “Start” icon that takes you to Device Manager is a Windows feature that you won’t be finding on an iPhone. Some screen protectors are just thick enough to interfere with the touch screen interface. If after removing it the touchscreen works, the recommend the user gets a screen protector that is licensed for iPhone. Never use potent chemicals such as window cleaner on these screens. Only wipe them with an electronic wipe, or with a soft and lint-free cloth. Just like rebooting a PC, restarting a device can eliminate a lot of dysfunctions in a device. Just like in the first choice open Control Panel and click Settings will work on a Windows laptop (it’s actually Tablet PC Settings) just not on an iPhone.