Jason Dion - CompTIA A+ 1101 Exam Prep #1 Flashcards
You are working as part of a PC Refresh Team installing 150 Desktop Computers in Dion Training’s New Offices. When you boot up the 72nd Desktop you installed, you smell a foul-smelling chemical odor. You sniff the air again and confirm the smell isn’t a burning smell. Upon opening the case, which component should you inspect for damage and expect to replace?
Power Supply
GPU
Motherboard
System Fan
Motherboard
EXPLANATION:
A Foul Smell is usually indicative of a distended capacitor. Capacitors are small electrical components on the Motherboard. Therefore, you should inspect the Motherboard for replacement.
If there was a burning smell, then the Power Supply should be the first component inspected.
John is a small business owner who is always running between meetings. He wants to buy a Device that will let him quickly and easily see his email notifications, view his Instant Messages and Chats, and keep in touch with his executive assistant who is back at the office. Which device would BEST meet John’s needs?
Portable Hotspot
Fitness Monitor
Smartwatch
e-Reader
Smartwatch
Dion Training’s Service Desk has received calls from numerous users stating they are receiving an error message concerning duplicate IP Addresses being detected on their Systems. These users also cannot access the Network’s File Server or browse any Websites. Which of the following Servers should the technician check first in troubleshooting this issue?
Proxy Server
DHCP Server
DNS Server
RADIUS Server
DHCP Server
EXPLANATION:
If duplicate IP addresses are being detected on Workstations across the Network, it is either an issue with the DHCP Server or someone has been statically assigning IP addresses to workstations improperly. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server is a Server configured with a range of Addresses to Lease. Hosts can be allocated an IP Address dynamically or be assigned a Reserved IP Address based on the Host’s MAC Address. The Server can also provide other configuration information, such as the location of DNS Servers.
A Domain Name System (DNS) Server is a Server that hosts the database of Domain Names and the IP Addresses mapped to those names. Each DNS Server is authoritative for certain Domain Names that their org owns.
A Proxy Server is a Server that acts as an intermediary between a client requesting a Resource and the Server that provides that Resource. A Proxy Server can be used to Filter Contents and Websites from Reaching a User.
An Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) Server is a server used to identify (Authenticate), Approve (Authorize) and keep track of (Account For) users and their Actions. AAA Servers can also be classified based on the Protocol they use such as a RADIUS Server or a TACACS+ Server.
Which of the following devices combine an accurate geolocation system that communicates with a constellation of 24 Satellites continuously during it’s Operation?
Fitness Monitor
E-Readers
VR Headsets
GPS
GPS
Jason is Teaching a CompTIA Course at a large company, but they do not allow non-employees to connect to their Network. Since Jason needs the Internet for an in class demonstration, he connects his laptop to his iPhone over WIFI and essentially connects to the Internet using the Smartphone as a Modem. Which of the following terms best describes this Configuration?
Tunneling
Baseband Update
USB Tethering
Hotspot
Hotspot
EXPLANATION:
A Portable Hotspot is a dedicated Mobile Device that connects to a Cellular Network and provides a Wireless (WIFI) Network for a small number of users. Most Smartphones can conduct Wireless Tethering as a form of creating a Hotspot.
Tethering uses the Cellular Data Plan of a Mobile Device to provide Internet Access to a Laptop or PC. The PC can be Tethered to the Mobile by USB, Bluetooth, or WIFI (A Mobile Hotspot). One method of doing this is to connect the laptop to the device using a WIFI connection and routing all of your data from your laptop to the phone over WIFI and then from the phone to the Internet using the phone’s built-in Cellular Modem.
Tunneling (Or Encapsulation) Protocol wraps up data from one protocol to transfer over a different type of Network. For example, PPP can carry TCP/IP data over a Dial-Up Line enabling a remote computer to communicate with the LAN.
A Baseband Update is the modification of the firmware of a Cellular Modem.
Which type of Technology imitates Hardware without relying on the CPU being able to run the Software code directly?
Virtual Machine
Emulator
Hypervisor
Simulator
Emulator
EXPLANATION:
Emulators emulate Hardware without relying on the CPU being able to run Code directly.
Virtual Machines use CPU Self-Virtualization, to whatever extent it exists, to provide a Virtual interface to the real hardware.
A Simulator is a limited scope that is usually used in training to mimic a real system’s functionality.
Emulators were created before Virtualization and operate much slower than a True Virtualization environment with a Hypervisor.
- What are the dimensions of a MicroATX Motherboard?
11” x 9.6”
- 7” x 6.7”
- 6” x 9.6”
- 6” x 2.9”
9.6” x 9.6”
EXPLANATION: The mATX (MicroATX) Motherboard's form factor is 9.6" x 9.6" in size (24 cm x 24cm). The mATX Form Factor is commonly used in smaller computer systems with a small form factor (SFF) case. An mATX Motherboard is backward-compatible with the Larger ATX Motherboard since it contains the same mounting point locations as the full-size board.
An ATX Motherboard’s form factor is 12” x 9.6” in size (305mm x 244mm).
ITX is a Series of Form Factors that begin with the mini-ITX, but there is no specific size called ITX. The mITX (Mini-ITX) Form Factor is 6.7” x 6.7” in size (17 cm x 17 cm). The mITX is commonly used in smaller computer systems with a small form factor (SFF) case. These Motherboards are usually used in computers designed for Passive Cooling and a Low Power consumption architecture, such as a Home Theater PC System.
Which of the following technologies can provide up to 40 Gbps of Bandwidth?
Thunderbolt
USB 2.0
FireWire 800
eSATA
Thunderbolt
Which of the following Security features would allow a user to track their laptop’s location if it was stolen?
LoJack
Kensington Lock
TPM
Full Disk Encryption
LoJack
Which of the following Services does Apple use for Syncing their Data Across Multiple macOS and iOS Devices?
Google Drive
OneDrive
DropBox
iCloud
iCloud
- Which of the following refers to using Virtual Machines as a Method of Provisioning Workstations for Corporate users?
SaaS
VDI
IaaS
PaaS
VDI
EXPLANATION:
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or DaaS (Desktop as a Service) refers to using a VM as a means of provisioning Corporate Desktops. In a Typical VDI, desktop computers are replaced by low-spec, low-power thin Client computers. When the Thin Client starts, it boots a minimal OS, allowing the user to log onto the VM stored on the company Server or Cloud infrastructure. The user connects to the VM using some remote desktop protocol (Microsoft Remote Desktop or Citrix ICA). The Thing Client has to find the correct image and use an appropriate authentication mechanism.
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a Cloud Computing Service that enables a Service Provider to make applications available over the Internet to End-Users. This can be a Calendar, Scheduling, Invoicing, Word Processor, Database, and other programs. For Example: Google Docs, and Office 365 are both Word Processing SaaS Solutions.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a Cloud Computing Service that enables consumers to rent fully configured Systems that are set up for specific purposes.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a Cloud Computing Service that enables a Consumer to outsource computing equipment purchases and running their own data center.
Which Cloud Computing concept is BEST described as focusing on the replacement of Physical Hardware at a Customer’s Location with Cloud-Based Resources?
PaaS
IaaS
SECaaS
SaaS
IaaS
EXPLANATION:
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a Cloud Computing Serice that enables a consumer to outsource computing equipment purchases and running their own data center. If you purchase a Server in the Cloud and then install and manage the OS and Software, this is IaaS.
Which of the following Internet Connection types utilizes analog, audible signals, being passed over a traditional Phone Line to connect two Computer Systems?
Satellite
Dial-Up
Cable
Fiber
Dial-Up
- A Customer’s System Clock is continually resetting itself causes discrepancies with the Date and Time. Which of the following components of the System should you investigate as the Root Cause of the Issue?
BIOS
Power Supply
RAM
CPU
BIOS
EXPLANATION:
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is the program that a computer’s microprocessor uses to get the Computer System started after you turn it on. The BIOS settings are stored in CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor). Some of the BIOS settings include the System Time and Date as well as Hardware Settings and Configurations. If the CMOS Battery dies, or the BIOS becomes faulty, then the System time and date will be affected.
What type of Connector is used to Connect to a Serial Port or External Modem?
RJ-45
DB-9
FType
LC
DB-9
EXPLANATION:
DB-9 is a Standard type of Serial Connector used to connect to a Serial Port or External Modem. A DB-9 Connector is used to Terminate an RS-232 Serial Cable.
An RJ-45 Connector is used to Terminate a Copper Twisted-Pair Ethernet Cable.
FType Connector is used with Coaxial Cables.
ST, SC, LC, or MTRJ Connector is used to Terminate a Fiber Optical Cable.
- Which type of Wireless Network Utilizes the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Frequency bands and reaches speeds of 108 Mbps to 600 Mbps?
- 11b
- 11n
- 11ax
- 11g
- 11a
- 11ac
802.11n
EXPLANATION:
802.11n (Wireless N) Standard utilizes 2.4 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at Speeds up to 108 Mbps or a 5.0 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at Speeds up to 600 Mbps. Wireless N supports the use of Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) Technology to use multiple antennas to transmit and receive data at higher speeds. Wireless N supports channel bonding by combining two 20 MHz Channels into a single 40 MHz Channel to provide additional bandwidth.
- 11a (Wireless A) Standard utilizes a 5 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at Speeds up to 54 Mbps.
- 11b (Wireless B) Standard utilizes 2.4 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at Speeds up to 11 Mbps.
- 11g (Wireless G) Standard utilizes a 2.4 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at Speeds up to 54 Mbps.
802.11ac (Wireless AC or WIFI5) Standard utilizes 5 GHz Frequency to provide Wireless Networking at theoretical Speeds up to 3.5 Gbps. Wireless AC uses Channel Bonding to create a single channel of up to 160 MHz to provide additional bandwidth. Wireless AC uses multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) Technology to use Multiple Antennas to transmit and receive data at higher speeds.
Wireless AC also has a Version called WIFI6E that supports 6 GHz Frequency instead of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Frequencies used in WIFI6.
802.11ax (Wireless AX or WIFI6) Standard utilizes 2.4 GHz and 5. GHz Frequencies to provide Wireless Networking at theoretical speeds up to 9.6 Gbps.
- Which of the following types of laptop displays would utilize a Fluorescent Backlight to illuminate the image?
LED
OLED
LCD
Plasma
LCD
EXPLANATION:
LCD (TFT) with fluorescent backlight has been the standard display technology for the last few years. The backlight is fluorescent bulb that illuminates the image, making it bright and clear. An inverter supplies the correct AC voltage to the backlight from the laptops DC power circuits.
More Modern laptops use LED displays that replace the fluorescent backlight with an LED backlight.
OLED and Plasma displays do not use a backlight.
- Jay is complaining that the Speed at which the cursor moves across his laptops screen when using his Trackpad makes it difficult to properly control. Which setting could he use to slow down the Curser in Windows 10?
Settings > Devices > Touchpad > Speed
Settings > Devices > Touchpad > Touchpad Sensitivity
Settings > Devices > Mouse > Touchpad Sensitivity
Settings > Devices > Mouse > Speed
Settings > Devices > Touchpad > Speed
A Customer called the Servce Desk and complained that they could not reach the Internet on their Computer. You ask the Customer to open their Command Prompt, type in ipconfig, and read you the IP Address. The Customer reads the IP as 169.254.12.45. What is the Root Cause of the Customer’s issue based on what you know so far?
Their Workstation cannot reach the Web Server.
Their Workstation cannot reach the DHCP Server.
Their Workstation cannot reach the DNS Server.
Their Workstation cannot reach the Default Gateway.
Their Workstation cannot reach the DHCP Server.
What is the First Step in the CompTIA Troubleshooting Methodology?
Test the Theory to determine the Cause
Identify the Problem
Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the problem and Implement the solution.
Establish a Theory of Probable Cause
Identify the Problem
- Which of the following is True of a Dedicated Video Card in a Computer System?
Less Expensive than an integrated Video Card
Can be upgraded or replaced.
Share the use of the System’s Memory
Cannot be upgraded or replaced.
Can be upgraded or replaced.
EXPLANATION:
It is more expensive to have a Dedicated GPU or Video Card, but it does provide Higher Performance than an Integrated GPU. A Dedicated GPU also can be upgraded with a Newer Graphics Card in the future to increase performance.
An Integrated Video card is built as part of the main system Motherboard or CPU. An Integrated GPU is cheaper than a Dedicated GPU, but it has limited performance and shares the use of the Computer’s System RAM. An Integrated Video Card cannot be upgraded since it is part of the Processor or Motherboard.
If a System is being designed for Gaming, Video Editing, or 3D Rendering, it should use a separate Video Card with a Dedicated GPU.
You are at the Grocery Store. At the Checkout, you place your Smartphone near the Payment Terminal to authorize the charge. Which of the following technologies did you use to make the purchase?
Smart Card
NFC
Zigbee
KVM
NFC
What is the Third Step in the CompTIA Troubleshooting Methodology?
Establish a Plan of Action to resolve the problem and Implement a Solution.
Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes
Test the Theory to determine the cause.
Verify Full System Functionality, and if applicable, implement preventative measures.
Test the Theory to determine the cause.
Which of the following ports is used by the Secure Message Block (SMB) Protocol to share files and printers on a Windows Network?
21
445
143
443
445
EXPLANATION:
Server Message Block (SMB) or Common Internet File System (CIFS) is a Protocol used for requesting files from Windows Servers and delivering them to Clients on Port 445.
HTTPS = 443 FTP = 20 and 21 IMAP = 143
Sally is troubleshooting a customer’s PC that is operating extremely slowly. The customer works as a Video Editor and often downloads large files, edits them into new file, then deletes the original files from the hard disk to free up space. Sally performs a hard drive read/write test and verifies the drive is operating 60% slower than its baseline configuration speed. Which of the following should Sally do to speed up the drive?
Perform Disk Defragmentation on the Drive.
Perform a CHKDSK on the Drive.
Securely erase the drive and reimage the system.
Connect the Hard Drive over USB 3 to increase speed.
Perform Disk Defragmentation on the Drive.
You have bene asked to troubleshoot a Digital Projector in the home theater in your neighbor’s basement. Your neighbor attempted to replace the projector’s bulb, but after running for a few minutes, a message appears on the screen, and the projector turns itself off again. Based on these Symptoms, what are the MOST Likely causes of the Projector continually turning off after just a few minutes of usage with a New Bulb? (Select Two)
Incorrect Video Resolution settings.
The Video Driver on the media player needs to be updated.
The Bulb’s life counter needs to be reset.
A Higher Lumen Bulb must be installed.
The Cooling fan needs to be cleaned or replaced.
The brightness needs to be increased.
The Bulb’s life counter needs to be reset.
The Cooling Fan needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Tony, a System Admin, set up a Printer on John’s Workstation. During the setup, Tony was able to print a Test Page. Later, when John attempted to print a document, an error message displayed that indicates access was denied to the Printer. John tried to restart the printer and workstation, but the same error message displayed when attemps to print a document. Which of the following MOST Likely caused this issue?
The Print Spooler is hung and must be restarted.
The printer lacks the memory required to process the document.
The printer is offline.
The user lacks adequate Security Permissions to the Printer.
The user lacks adequate Security Permissions to the Printer.
A user has reported that their workstation is running slowly. You perform a reboot on their workstation and receive a S.M.A.R.T error during the boot-up process. Which of the following actions should you perform first?
Backup the Hard Drive
Reformat the Hard Drive
Run CHKDSK
Run DISKPART
Backup the Hard Drive
On Saturdays, your best friend goes to the local farmer’s market to sell his homemade craft root beer. He wants to add the ability to take credit card payments from customers on his mobile phone. Which of the following devices should he purchase and configure?
Bluetooth Card Reader
Memory Card Reader
IR Reader
DB-9 Reader
Bluetooth Card Reader
- An Inkjet Printer is printing images and text at an angle, and sometimes they don’t print at all. Which of the following would a technician perform to align a printer?
Replace the Print Head
Maintenance Cleaning
Calibration
Replace the Cartridge
Calibration
EXPLANATION:
The Tech should first calibrate the printer and perform a Print Test. Usually it aligns the print heads during calibration and prints out a test page with a code for the user to enter and print another test page to ensure it is properly aligned. A Printer that has alignment problems will not print documents accurately. Your printer can become misaligned if there is any paper stuck in the machine, print cartridges are clogged or dirty, improper installation of cartridges, and using low-quality cartridges. Additionally, a printer can become misaligned after the machine completes a large print job.
- Which of the following DC Voltages are NOT found within a Printer when the Laser Printer Converts AC Power into DC Power for use?
+24 VDC
-24 VDC
-5 VDC
+5 VDC
-24 VDC
EXPLANATION: The DCPS (DC Power Supply/Source) of a Laser Printer is used to convert High Voltage AC into Low Voltage DC for the Printer.
The DCPS Converts 114 VAC or 220 VAC Power into +5 VDC and -5 VDC for use by the Printer’s Logic Board, and +24 VDC to Power the motors that feed the paper through the Printing Path in the last printer.
Which Port is used to Connect to an SMTP Server?
25
443
143
110
25
EXPLANATION:
SMTP is Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and uses TCP Port 25.
POP3 = 110 IMAP = 143 HTTPS = 443
You are building a New Server and want to ensure that its memory can allow the Server to continue working even if there is an issue that corrupts data held within the Memory Modules. Which of the following types of Memory should you select for the Server?
Dual-Channel
ECC
Non-Parity
Single-Channel
ECC
EXPLANATION:
Error Checking and Correcting or Error Correcting Code (ECC) is a Type of System Memory that has built-in error correction security. ECC is more expensive than normal Memory and requires support from the Motherboard. ECC is commonly used in production Servers and not in standard desktops or laptops.
Single-Channel Memory is any Memory using one 64-bit bus between the CPU and the RAM>
Dual-Channel Memory is a Memory Controller with two primary pathways through the bus to the CPU to transfer 128-bits of Data in each transaction.
Non-Parity Memory is a type of System Memory that does not perform error checking except when conducting the initial startup memory count.
Your company has an office in Boston and is worried that its employees may not reach the office during periods of heavy snowfall. You have been asked to select a Technology that would allow Employees to work remotely from their homes during poor weather conditions. Which of the following should you select?
IDS
VLAN
NAT
VPN
VPN
