Hardware and Network Troubleshooting

Question 1

After you establish a plan of action, what should you do next?

Test the theory

Verify full system functionality

Document findings

Answer 1

Verify full system functionality

Establishing a plan of action is step 4, and verifying full system functionality is step 5

Question 2

When should you question the obvious?

When identifying the problem

When testing the theory

When establishing a theory

Answer 2

When establishing a theory

Questioning the obvious is a part of establishing a theory of probably cause (step 2)

Question 3

During the process of troubleshooting a printer problem, you created a document that lists the printer drivers needed, how you installed them, and how you tested the printers and systems involved. Which of the following steps did you perform?

Documenting findings

Establishing a theory of probable cause

Verifying full system functionality

Answer 3

Documenting findings

Documenting findings, which is the final step of the troubleshooting methodology, refers to noting in detail the solutions used and how they were applied

Question 4

Which step of the troubleshooting methodology includes reviewing system and application logs?

Identify the problem

Test the theory to determine cause

Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement the solution

Answer 4

Identify the problem

Identifying the problem is step 1 and includes reviewing system and application logs

Question 5

What should you always do first before implementing changes?

Conduct external and internal research based on symptoms

Implement preventive measures

Consider corporate policies, procedures, and impacts

Answer 5

Consider corporate policies, procedures, and impacts

Always consider corporate policies, procedures, and impacts before implementing a change

Question 6

Which of the following causes for overheating can be tested in the system BIOS settings?

Clogged air intakes

Power supply fan failure

Case or CPU fan speed slow

Answer 6

Case or CPU fan speed slow

The BIOS screen commonly called PC Health or Hardware Monitor displays fan speeds as well as system temperature

Question 7

What happens if a power supply is set for 230-V AC and you connect a 115-V AC line to it and turn on the computer?

Overvoltage error appears on screen

Computer cannot start

Signal lights turn on but fans do not run

Answer 7

Computer cannot start

The computer cannot start because the power supply is set for a voltage level twice what is being provided

Question 8

You have tested the power supply on a computer that is continuously rebooting and the Power Good line and other voltage levels test out OK. What else should you check?

If Windows is configured to automatically reboot after a STOP error

If Windows always reboots automatically after a STOP error

If the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys on the keyboard are stuck

Answer 8

If Windows is configured to automatically reboot after a STOP error

Windows can be configured to restart the system immediately in the event of a STOP error; to enable diagnosis of the STOP error, restart the system in Safe Mode and change this setting in System properties

Question 9

What should you do if a customer’s computer resets the BIOS time and settings incorrectly every time her computer is powered on?

Reset the boot sequence order

Perform a soft reset

Replace the CMOS battery

Answer 9

Replace the CMOS battery

Power down system and replace the CMOS battery (usually a CR2032). Turn on system, enter BIOS setup, reset BIOS time and settings, save changes, and restart system

Question 10

A customer reports that his computer keeps booting to an incorrect device. Which of the following will most likely remedy this situation? (Choose two.)

Change the boot order in the BIOS

Remove nonbootable disc or USB flash drive

Run System File Checker (sfc.exe)

Check front panel connectors and reconnect as needed

Answer 10

Change the boot order in the BIOS

Remove nonbootable disc or USB flash drive

Enter BIOS setup, reset the boot sequence to include the correct bootable drive, and restart. Remove nonbootable removable media and restart system

Question 11

A drive in a RAID 0 array stops working. After you replace the defective drive, how can you recover from this error?

Rebuild the array from the working drive

Restore the most recent backups to the array

Use Disk Management to rebuild the array

Answer 11

Restore the most recent backups to the array

RAID 0, despite the name, does not include any redundancy; the data is striped across both drives to improve performance, and thus the loss of a single drive wipes out the array’s contents

Question 12

A 1-TB USB portable drive works fine on a desktop computer running Windows, but will not work when plugged into a Windows laptop computer on battery power. What is the most likely cause?

Drive must be reformatted to be recognized by the laptop

Laptop USB port is not providing enough power for the drive

Laptop and desktop computers use different versions of Windows

Answer 12

Laptop USB port is not providing enough power for the drive

Some laptop USB ports do not provide the full power level needed for external hard drives when running on battery power; as a workaround, some drives include a Y-cable to pull power from a second port, or the drive can be plugged into a self-powered USB hub

Question 13

A computer fails to reboot after a Windows update. The update was provided on a nonbootable USB drive. Which of the following should you try first to get the computer to boot?

Reinstall the update from a bootable USB drive

Scan the USB drive for viruses

Disconnect the USB drive and restart the computer

Answer 13

Disconnect the USB drive and restart the computer

Some systems are configured to have a USB drive as the first bootable device to enable diagnostics or operating system installations; by disconnecting the drive, the system can use the next bootable device as set in the BIOS/UEFI firmware

Question 14

customer’s computer displays a “RAID not found” error on bootup. What can you do to troubleshoot this issue?

Free up space on the system drive to achieve 10 percent more free space

Reenable the RAID controller in BIOS/UEFI firmware or add-on card setup

Repair the boot sector with OS utilities

Answer 14

Reenable the RAID controller in BIOS/UEFI firmware or add-on card setup

For “RAID not found” errors, you should reenable the RAID controller in the BIOS setup or add-on card setup. You can also try reconnecting or replacing data and power cables if you encounter loose or bad cables

Question 15

Which of the following indicates drive failure is imminent? (Choose the best answer.)

S.M.A.R.T.

BSoDs/pin wheels

Loud clicking noises

Answer 15

S.M.A.R.T.

S.M.A.R.T. hard drive prediction errors indicate drive failure is imminent

Question 16

A user has repositioned her desktop computer and now the display no longer has an image on the screen but the display and computer power lights are on. Which of the following would you have her check first?

Loose power cord on display

Press FN keys to go back to primary display

Loose video cable

Answer 16

Loose video cable

Moving the computer could cause the video cable to become loose, causing the loss of picture

Question 17

A Windows user reports very large text and icons on his screen. In the course of asking the user what might be the issue, the user reported there was “some sort of an error message” during startup. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

System booted up in Safe Mode.

Video card GPU fan has failed.

System booted up in STOP mode.

Answer 17

System booted up in Safe Mode.

Some versions of Windows automatically boot in Safe Mode if the system didn’t boot normally on the previous boot attempt; Safe Mode uses a low screen resolution, resulting in large icons and text

Question 18

You are playing a 3-D game at home and have been experimenting with getting better performance from your video card, and now you see incorrect color patterns on screen. After checking the fan on your video card and determining it’s working properly, what should you do next?

Enable event logging

Disable overclocking

Enable Safe Mode

Answer 18

Disable overclocking

Overclocking video cards or other components can lead to overheating, which is a common cause of incorrect colors on screen

Question 19

How would you resolve a dead pixel display issue? (Choose two.)

Replace the fan on the video card

Replace the display if under warranty

Gently message the pixel with a pencil eraser until it turns on

Clean the case fans and air intakes

Answer 19

Replace the display if under warranty

Gently message the pixel with a pencil eraser until it turns on

Pixels may be dead due to manufacturing defects or stuck in “off” mode. Replace the display if it is under warranty or gently message the pixel with a pencil eraser to see if it turns on

Question 20

A customer is experiencing distorted images on a display. You believe this is a result of driver corruption. Which of the following is likely to fix this?

Install or reinstall the latest video card drivers

Replace the GPU

Increase the display resolution

Answer 20

Install or reinstall the latest video card drivers

A common cause for distorted images is corrupted video card (GPU) drivers. You should install or reinstall the latest video card drivers

Question 21

A user is running a laptop computer in an office that also has an HDTV with a cable connected to the laptop. After dropping the laptop, the user can no longer see anything on the built-in display. What should you try first until you can get the laptop repaired or replaced?

Connect the laptop to the network and try to use remote access

Have the user press the appropriate key(s) to switch to the external display

Tell the user to take a day off

Answer 21

Have the user press the appropriate key(s) to switch to the external display

Most laptops can switch between the built-in display and the video port by using a Function key (sometimes requiring the user to also press the FN key)

Question 22

A laptop’s wireless connection is intermittent after it comes back from a screen replacement. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the problem?

Antenna wires are not connected properly

Keyboard is stuck

Wi-Fi button on edge of laptop was turned off during repair

Answer 22

Antenna wires are not connected properly

Laptops with built-in Wi-Fi use antennas mounted around the edges of the display panel and connected to the Wi-Fi card inside the body of the laptop; if these cables are not properly connected during reassembly, Wi-Fi connections will be poor or will completely fail

Question 23

A laptop with a user-upgradeable hard drive and RAM needs more RAM. Which of the following tools are you least likely to need to make this change?

Anti-static mat

Torx drivers

Pry bars

Answer 23

Pry bars

Pry bars are used for servicing smartphones, tablets, or other devices that are not designed for user upgrades

Question 24

Which of the following is not part of the CompTIA four-step mobile device disassembly and reassembly process?

Document and label cable and screw locations

Organize parts

Refer to general YouTube videos to figure out the disassembly/reassembly process

Answer 24

Refer to general YouTube videos to figure out the disassembly/reassembly process

The CompTIA four-step process for mobile device disassembly and reassembly includes documenting and labeling cable and screw locations, organizing parts, referring to manufacturer resources, and using appropriate hand tools

Question 25

A customer is experiencing extremely short battery life on a mobile device. What recommendations should you make? (Choose two.)

Close or hibernate unneeded apps

Perform a hard reset on the mobile device

Follow manufacture’s suggestions for discharging and recharging the battery

Free up space on the primary drive or internal storage

Answer 25

Close or hibernate unneeded apps

Follow manufacture’s suggestions for discharging and recharging the battery

For extremely short battery life, close or hibernate unneeded apps and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for discharging and recharging the battery

Question 26

A user is reporting that her print jobs are displaying dark ghost patterns. From this description, which of the following types of printers is in use?

Virtual

Laser

Impact

Answer 26

Laser

Dark ghost patterns only occur on malfunctioning laser printers

Question 27

A user reports that when he prints envelopes, the envelopes are creased and misaligned. Which of the following steps is most likely to help?

Change the printer to single-sided printing

Adjust the tractor feed

Adjust the paper guides

Answer 27

Adjust the paper guides

Paper guides must be set correctly for the paper or media width installed; if they are set too wide, the paper/media will not feed straight

Question 28

A user reports paper jams at the rear of the printer when he tries to print double-sided pages. Which of the following components is most likely the cause?

Rear paper feed

Ink cartridges

Duplexer

Answer 28

Duplexer

The duplexer at the rear of the printer is used to flip the paper for printing on the reverse side

Question 29

A laser printer is printing blank pages. Which of the following solutions should you apply to fix this problem? (Choose two.)

Replace the printhead

Bypass the print spooler and print directly to the printer

Replace toner cartridge

Attempt to print a diagnostic page using self-test

Answer 29

Replace toner cartridge

Attempt to print a diagnostic page using self-test

If a laser printer prints blank pages, you should replace the toner cartridge or add toner as appropriate. If it is not out of toner, print a diagnostic page using self-test. If the page is blank, check the drum to see if the page image is visible there. If it is, the printer’s transfer corona or power supply has failed and should be replaced or serviced as needed

Question 30

A user’s printer has a number of print jobs backed up and waiting in the print queue. Which of the following measures should you take to get the print jobs printing again?

Verify the user account has access to the printer

Restart the Print Spooler service

Calibrate the printer

Answer 30

Restart the Print Spooler service

Of the listed answers for addressing a backed-up print queue, restarting the Print Spooler service is the best option

Question 31

Enabling airplane mode does which of the following?

Enables wireless connections while flying

Disables wireless connections while flying

Disables wireless connections at any time

Answer 31

Disables wireless connections at any time

Airplane mode is not just for flying; when enabled, it turns off cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi features

Question 32

A user reports that her system has an IP address of 169.254.0.230. She also reports that she can’t connect to the Internet. Which of the following is the most likely issue?

DHCP server is not working.

DHCP server gave her system an invalid MAC address.

MAC address is blacklisted.

Answer 32

DHCP server is not working.

IP addresses starting with 169. are assigned automatically when an IP address cannot be received from a DHCP server

Question 33

A home office user reports that he’s lost his Internet connection due to a power failure. After the power comes back on, what is the best sequence to follow to bring up his network and get back online?

Power up broadband modem, then computer, then router, then wireless printer

Power up wireless printer, then router, then modem, then computer

Power up modem, then router, then wireless printer, then computer

Answer 33

Power up modem, then router, then wireless printer, then computer

By turning on devices in this order, the Internet connection is restored first and each subsequent device can use it via the LAN connection from the router

Question 34

You are asked to upgrade the wiring in a SOHO network from 100 Mbps to 1000 Mbps. Which category of twisted pair Ethernet cable can you use for this project? (Choose two.)

Cat 6

Cat 5e

Cat 5

Cat 3

Answer 34

Cat 6

Cat 5e

Use Cat 5e or Cat 6 twisted pair cable for Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps)

Question 35

Which non-overlapping 2.4-GHz wireless channel should you set your wireless router to use in order to avoid congestion and low RF signal problems?

1, 6, or 11

2, 4, or 6

3, 5, or 7

Answer 35

1, 6, or 11

To avoid low RF signal issues, choose the least-crowded non-overlapping channel of 1, 6, or 11