Part 1 - Basic Info & CPU Chapter

Question 1

What is the MCC?

Answer 1

MCC stands for Memory Controller Chip

Question 2

What are the CompTIA “Troubleshooting Methodology” steps?

Answer 2

1. Identify the problem
2. Establish a theory of probable cause
3. Test the theory to determine the cause
4. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution
5. Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventative measures
6. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 3

What is a CPU’s ALU?

Answer 3

Arithmetic Logic Unit. The part of a CPU that handles integer math (math with no decimal point).

Question 4

What is a CPU’s TDP?

Answer 4

Thermal Design Power. This gives a rough idea of how much energy a CPU draws and what kind of cooling system it will need.

Question 5

What is the FPU?

Answer 5

Floating Point Unit. Part of the CPU that handles calculations with complex numbers.

Question 6

What are the four Stages of a CPU pipeline?

Answer 6

Fetch, Decode, Execute, Write

Question 7

What is a cache?

Answer 7

CPU caches are small pools of memory that store information the CPU is most likely to need next.

Question 8

What is SRAM?

Answer 8

Static RAM (Random Access Memory), used primarily for a CPU’s cache.

Question 9

What are the sizes and speeds of the L1, L2 and L3 cache?

Answer 9

The L1 is the smallest in size and the fastest cache on the CPU. The L2 is larger than the L1 cache but slower. The L3 cache is the largest and slowest of the three.

Question 10

What is a x86 processor?

Answer 10

A (usually) older 32-bit system limited to 4GB of memory.

Question 11

What is a x64 processor?

Answer 11

A newer 64-bit system capable of supporting more than 4GB of memory

Question 12

What is a x86-64 processor?

Answer 12

A x64/64-bit processor that can handle x86/32-bit code and 64-bit code. Which is not an uncommon feature for x64 processors.

Question 13

What is parallel execution?

Answer 13

The ability for a CPU to process multiple commands and parts of commands in parallel. CPUs accomplish this parallelism through multiple pipelines, dedicated cache, and the capability to work with multiple threads or programs at one time.

Question 14

What is a thread?

Answer 14

Programs break down into a number of little pieces, called threads, and data. Each thread is a series of instructions designed to do a particular job with the data.

Question 15

What is CPU multi-core architecture?

Answer 15

A dual-core CPU has multiple execution units—two sets of pipelines—but the two sets of pipelines share caches and RAM. Multicore CPUs—with four, six, or eight cores—are common. Higher-end CPUs have up to 32 cores! CPU manufacturers engineered the cores in multicore CPUs to divide up work independently of the OS, known as multicore processing.

Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 111). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 16

What is the difference between the L1 D-Cache and L1 I-Cache

Answer 16

The L1 cache sometimes divides into one cache to handle data—the D-Cache—and another cache for instructions—the I-Cache.

Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 111). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 17

What is the IMC?

Answer 17

Integrated Memory Controller optimizes the flow information into and out of the CPU. An IMC enables faster control over things like the large L3 cache shared among multiple cores.

Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 112). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 18

What is NX Bit technology?

Answer 18

NX bit technology enables the CPU to protect certain sections of memory. This feature, coupled with implementation by the operating system, stops malicious attacks from getting to essential operating system files. Microsoft calls the feature Data Execution Prevention (DEP), turned on by default in every OS

Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 113). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 19

What CPUs could fit into a LGA 1150 (H3) socket?

Answer 19

Intel Core i3/i5/i7, Pentium, Celeron, Xeon

Question 20

What CPUs could fit into a LGA 1151 (H4) socket?

Answer 20

Intel Core i3/i5/i7, Pentium, Celeron, Xeon

Question 21

What CPUs could fit into a LGA 2011 (R or R3) socket?

Answer 21

Intel Core i7, Core i7 Extreme Ed., Xeon

Question 22

What CPUs could fit into a LGA 2066 (R4) socket?

Answer 22

Intel Core i5/i7/i9, Xeon

Question 23

What CPUs could fit into a FM2+ socket?

Answer 23

AMD A-Series

Question 24

What CPUs could fit into a AM3+ socket?

Answer 24

AMD FX, Opteron

Question 25

What CPUs could fit into a AM4 socket?

Answer 25

AMD Ryzen, A-Series

Question 26

What CPUs could fit into a TR4 socket?

Answer 26

Ryzen Threadripper

Question 27

What are the two TYPES of sockets used by AMD and Intel?

Answer 27

Intel sockets have hundreds of tiny pins that line up with the contacts on the bottom of an Intel CPU. This is called a land grid array (LGA). The pins are on the mother board. AMD sockets have holes that align with pins on the AMD CPU. This is called pin grid array (PGA). The pins are on the CPU.

Question 28

What is a ZIF socket and how common are they?

Answer 28

A zero insertion force (ZIF) socket require no force to install and are found in most if not all modern systems.

Question 29

What kind of cooling does a heat sink supply?

Answer 29

Passive cooling.

Question 30

What kind of cooling does a fan and heat sink supply?

Answer 30

Active cooling, sometimes called an active heat sink.

Question 31

What is an OEM part?

Answer 31

Original Equipment Manufacturer part.

Question 32

What is an example of a proprietary crash screen?

Answer 32

The windows Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), technically known as a Windows Stop error. Also the pin wheel of death on Mac OS systems.

Question 33

What do registers provide for the CPU?

Answer 33

The CPU uses registers for temporary storage of internal commands and data.

Question 34

What is the EDB and what function does it supply for the CPU?

Answer 34

The external data bus provides a channel for the flow of data and commands between the CPU and RAM. Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 131). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 35

What function does the external data bus have in the PC?

Answer 35

The address bus enables the CPU to communicate with the memory controller chip. Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 131). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 36

What is the MCC and what is it's function?

Answer 36

Memory Controller Chip

Question 37

What is the term of measurement for CPU speed?

Answer 37

Megahertz and gigahertz

Question 38

Which CPU feature enables the microprocessor to support running multiple operating systems at the same time?

Answer 38

Virtualization support Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 129). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 39

What is hyper-threading?

Answer 39

Hyper-Threading enables a CPU to run multiple threads at the same time, what’s generically called simultaneous multithreading, effectively turning the CPU into two CPUs on one chip—with a catch. The operating system and the application must be designed to take advantage of the feature. Meyers, Mike. CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition (Exams 220-1001 & 220-1002) (p. 110). McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.

Question 40

A client calls to complain that his computer starts up, but crashes when Windows starts to load. After a brief set of questions, you find out that his nephew upgraded his RAM for him over the weekend and couldn’t get the computer to work right afterward. What could be the problem?

Answer 40

Disconnected CPU fan.