Module 1

Question 1

What is an IT system?

Answer 1

a system is one that processes, stores, and
transfers information.

Question 2

What is a computer?

Answer 2

a system that manipulates data according to a set of
instructions.

Question 3

What is a peripheral device?

Answer 3

Other parts are connected to the computer and are referred to as peripheral devices.

Question 4

What is an operating system?

Answer 4

A basic software environment

Question 5

What is RAM?

Answer 5

software application receives the
command and, using the functions of the operating system, converts it
into a series of instructions, which are stored in system memory

Question 6

What is a CPU?

Answer 6

Central Processing Unit (CPU) retrieves each instruction or data file
from memory and processes it.

Question 7

Four main ways of data moving through a system?

Answer 7

■ Input—the computer receives data entered by the user
■ Processing—the data is written to memory and manipulated by the CPU, acting on instructions from the operating system and applications software.
■ Output—the processed data is shown or played to the user through an output device
■ Storage—the data may be written to different types of storage devices

Question 8

What is the Internet of Things?

Answer 8

As the miniaturization of electronics
continues, many “ordinary” appliances and systems are being designed with
processing and communications capabilities, creating an Internet of Things
(IoT).

Question 9

What are typical considerations regarding the performance/ease of use of desktop PC’s?

Answer 9

■ The speed of the CPU
■ More system memory
■ The capacity of the main storage drive
■ Optional components
■ The quality of peripherals such as the display, mouse, and keyboard make
the computer more comfortable to use (this is referred to as ergonomics).

Also SSD etc.

Question 10

What is a server?

Answer 10

A server is any computer providing services to other computers, but usually
the term server implies a powerful computer that supports a number of users
simultaneously in a computer network.

Question 11

What is a laptop?

Answer 11

A laptop computer is one that integrates the display, system components, and
input/output devices within a single, portable case (or chassis).

Question 12

What are the main features distinguishing PC’s from laptops?

Answer 12

■ Size and weight—laptops weigh between 1 and 4 kg (2–9 lbs).
■ Display type—laptops use flat-panel display technologies
■ Input devices—the main input devices are integrated into the case
■ Power source—portable computers can be run from internal battery packs
■ Components—laptops often use different system components (CPU,
RAM, and graphics) that are smaller, lighter, and draw less power
■ Networking—portable computers use wireless radio technologies to connect to networks rather than cabled connections.

Question 13

What is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)?

Answer 13

Source components such as CPUs and
RAM modules from manufacturers and put them together as a branded PC
system.

Question 14

What are the main categories of home automation software?

Answer 14

■ Thermostats
■ Security systems
■ IP cameras
■ Home appliances
■ Streaming media

Question 15

When installing a computer system, what are the three main considerations?

Answer 15

■ Is the environment suitable for the computer?
■ Is the installation safe for yourself and passers-by?
■ Is the installation healthy to use?

Question 16

What are the basic steps when setting up a computer?

Answer 16

1) Read the instruction manual, and allow at least 30–60 minutes for the components to adjust to room temperature.
2) Read the manufacturer’s setup and safety guidelines
3) Position the monitor and system unit so that cables can be tucked away
4) Ensure there is adequate air flow
5) Check that the screen is not exposed to excessive glare
6) Adjust the monitor, chair, and position of the mouse and keyboard
7) Connect each peripheral to the computer using an appropriate cable.
8) Connect the power cables from the monitor, system unit, and any peripherals to electrical outlets. Ensure
that the electrical outlets are not overloaded

Question 17

What is ergonomics?

Answer 17

the study of factors affecting the performance of people at work.

Question 18

What is repetitive strain injury (RSI)?

Answer 18

a condition that occurs when the same task is
carried out repeatedly for a long period, making use of the same muscles continuously.

Question 19

What are three factors to prevent RSI?

Answer 19

Proper keyboard and mouse placement, sitting position and monitor placement.

Question 20

What is a Power-On Self-Test (POST)?

Answer 20

The computer performs a Power-On Self-Test (POST) to check that the main components work and then loads Windows.

Question 21

What is a shell?

Answer 21

One of the basic functions of an OS is to provide an interface between the user and the computer. This type of interface is referred to as a shell.

Question 22

What is a Graphical User Interface (GUI)?

Answer 22

allowing users to select commands via icons and
menus

Question 23

What is a kernel?

Answer 23

OS software is built from a kernel of core functions with additional driver software and system
utility applications.

Question 24

What is a workstation OS?

Answer 24

one that runs a traditional desktop PC or laptop.
Examples include Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X/macOS, Linux, and Chrome
OS.

Question 25

What are the 3 main products on market for workstation operating systems?

Answer 25

■ Enterprise client—business networks.
■ Network Operating System (NOS) or server OS—
servers in business networks.
■ Home client—designed to work on standalone or workgroup PCs and
laptops in a home or small office.

Question 26

What is a mobile OS?

Answer 26

A mobile device OS is one designed for handheld devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The principal mobile operating systems are Apple
iOS and Android.

Question 27

What is a server OS?

Answer 27

Often based on similar code to its workstation OS equivalent. A server OS is likely to include software packages (or roles) to run network services and use different licensing to support more users.

Question 28

What is a commercial OS?

Answer 28

A commercial OS means that the user must purchase a license to install and use the OS software on a particular device.

Question 29

What is open source?

Answer 29

Open source means that the programming code used to design the software is freely available.

Question 30

What is an embedded OS?

Answer 30

An embedded system by contrast is a computer or appliance designed for a very
specific function.

Question 31

What are static/dynamic environments?

Answer 31

Embedded systems are typically static environments. A PC is a dynamic environment. The static
environment provided by an embedded OS does not allow or require such frequent changes.

Question 32

What are Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS)?

Answer 32

Operating systems ideal for embedded systems that are particularly time sensitive.

Question 33

What is firmware?

Answer 33

unlike regular software, the firmware is not designed to be continually changed

Question 34

What are the two types of PC firmware?

Answer 34

■ The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) provides industry standard
firmware that operates the essential components of the PC and ensures
that the design of each manufacturer’s motherboard is PC compatible.
■ Newer motherboards may use a different kind of firmware called Unified
Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). UEFI provides support for 64-bit
CPU operation at boot, a full GUI and mouse operation at boot, and better
boot security. A computer with UEFI may also support booting in a legacy
BIOS mode.

Question 35

What is Virtualization?

Answer 35

Virtualization
means that multiple operating systems can be installed and run simultaneously
on a single computer.

Question 36

What three components are required for a virtual platform?

Answer 36

■ Computer(s)—the physical machine (or host) that provides the resources for the virtual environment.
■ Hypervisor (or Virtual Machine Monitor [VMM])—manages the virtual machine environment and facilitates interaction with the host hardware and
network. There are two main classes of hypervisor:
● A Type I (or “bare metal”) hypervisor is installed directly on the
computer and interacts directly with its hardware.
● A Type II hypervisor runs as a software application within a host
operating system. The host operating system retains direct control of the hardware and the hypervisor must request use of it through the host OS.
■ Guest operating systems (or Virtual Machines [VM])—operating systems
installed under the virtual environment.

Question 37

What are some typical uses of desktop virtualization?

Answer 37

■ Virtual labs—create a research lab to analyze viruses, worms, and Trojans.
■ Support legacy software applications—if the host computers have been
upgraded, software may not work well with the new operating system.
■ Development environment—test software applications under different operating systems and resource constraints.
■ Training—lab environments can be set up so that students can practice

Question 38

What are the main version of Windows 10/11?

Answer 38

■ Windows 10 Home—designed for domestic consumers and Small Office
Home Office (SOHO) business use.
■ Windows 10 Pro—designed for small and medium-sized businesses.
■ Windows 10 Enterprise/Windows 10 Enterprise (Long Term Servicing Channel)—similar to the Pro edition but designed for licensing by medium
and large enterprises.
■ Windows 10 Education/Pro Education—variants of the Enterprise and Pro editions designed for licensing by schools and colleges.

Question 39

What are some of the main ease of access options?

Answer 39

■ Touchscreen—allows the use of touch to control the desktop, rather than a
keyboard or pointing device.
■ Voice control and narration—use voice commands to operate the desktop and speech to input text and get audio narration describing available
features in application windows and text in documents.
■ Visual alternatives for sounds—replace alert and notifications with text alerts or visual effects.
■ On-screen keyboard—use a virtual keyboard, operated by touch or using a pointing device.
■ Magnifier—zoom in to a particular feature.
■ Display settings—make the display more readable by using larger font sizes or a high contrast color scheme.

Question 40

What is a management interface?

Answer 40

is a graphical or command-line tool used to perform
some aspect of system configuration.

Question 41

What are some examples of administrative tools used to manage windows?

Answer 41

■ Control Panel/Windows Settings—individual applets to configure various aspects of Windows.
■ Management Consoles—these represent more technical system configuration options. There are various other consoles, and you can also create custom ones with mmc.exe.
■ Registry Editor (regedit)—when you change a setting via a management interface, you are usually changing something stored in the Windows Registry configuration database. The Registry Editor is a means of directly editing this database.
■ Command prompt/PowerShell—settings can also be changed by typing native Windows commands or the PowerShell scripting language

Question 42

What is a command line interface (CLI)?

Answer 42

Represents an alternative means of configuring an OS or application. A CLI displays a prompt, showing that it is ready to accept a command.

Question 43

What is User Account Control (UAC)?

Answer 43

Running accounts in a protected sandbox. When users
need to exercise administrative rights, they must explicitly confirm use of those rights by entering the administrator’s credentials or by clicking through an
authorization dialog.

Question 44

What are the three components of problem solving?

Answer 44

Cause, Symptom, Consequence.

Question 45

What is the CompTia troubleshooting model?

Answer 45

1) Identify the problem.
○ Gather information.
○ Duplicate the problem, if possible.
○ Question users.
○ Identify symptoms.
○ Determine if anything has changed.
○ Approach multiple problems individually.
2) Research knowledge base/Internet, if applicable.
3) Establish a theory of probable cause.
○ Question the obvious.
○ Consider multiple approaches.
○ Divide and conquer.
4) Test the theory to determine cause.
○ Once the theory is confirmed (confirmed root cause), determine the next steps to resolve the problem.
○ If the theory is not confirmed, establish a new theory or escalate.
5) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects.
6) Implement the solution or escalate as necessary.
7) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
8) Document findings/lessons learned, actions and outcomes.

Question 46

During discussion when identifying a problem to troubleshoot, what should be asked?

Answer 46

■ How many people are affected by the problem?
■ When did the problem first occur?
■ What might have changed?

Question 47

What is divide and conquer?

Answer 47

try to envisage different problem areas. In computing, this might be like making the distinction between a workstation problem, a server problem, a storage problem, or a network problem.

Question 48

What are the 3 solutions to any problem found?

Answer 48

■ Repair—you need to determine whether the cost of repair/time taken to
reconfigure something makes this the best option.
■ Replace—often more expensive and may be time-consuming if a part is not available. There may also be an opportunity to upgrade the device or
software.
■ Ignore—as any software developer will tell you, not all problems are critical. If neither repair nor replace is cost-effective, it may be best either to find a workaround or just to document the issue and move on.

Question 49

When contacting technical support, what information should you provide?

Answer 49

■ Your name and contact information.
■ The software or device you are having trouble with (including its version number, which can usually be found through the Help > About command,
or model and serial number).
■ The date you purchased the system (if applicable).
■ A description of the problem, including any error message or number.