QUIZ Flashcards
A computer fails to boot. Identify potential causes and perform troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue
• Causes
Faulty power supply
incorrect BIOS configuration
damaged boot drive
• Trouble shooting steps:
Check power supply
inspect hardware connections
access BIOS settings
Run diagnostics
Repair boot loader
A computer’s USB ports are not functioning. Identify potential causes and troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue.
Potential Causes:
Disabled USB ports in BIOS/UEFI.
Driver issues or outdated drivers.
Physical damage to the USB ports or motherboard.
Power surge affecting USB functionality.
Troubleshooting Steps:
Test Multiple Devices:
Inspect Physical Ports:
Check BIOS/UEFI Settings:
The cooling fan of a system makes so much noise, and the system heats up, making the system hang. What could be the cause?
Potential Causes:
Dust accumulation in the cooling system.
Faulty or aging fan.
Troubleshooting Steps
Inspect the Cooling System
Test Fan Functionality
Adjust Fan Speed Settings:
Use BIOS/UEFI or fan control software to manage fan speeds.
Your system shows a hardware error (Blue Screen). What could be the cause and how do you resolve it?
Potential Causes:
Corrupt or incompatible drivers.
Faulty hardware components (e.g., RAM, hard drive).
Overheating or power supply issues.
Malware or corrupted system files.
Troubleshooting Steps:
Note the Error Code
Update Drivers:
Boot into Safe Mode and update or roll back recently installed drivers.
Check Hardware Components:
Run memory tests (e.g., Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86) to check for faulty RAM.
Use diagnostic tools to verify hard drive health (e.g., CHKDSK or third-party software).
Scan for Malware:
Use antivirus software to scan and remove potential threats.
Verify System Files:
Run sfc /scannow or DISM commands to repair corrupted system files.
Restore System:
Use System Restore to revert to a previous stable state.
Do a comparative analysis between BIOS and UEFI
Discuss the effect of BIOS and UEFI on a computer system’s software
BIOS:
Limits advanced OS features due to its legacy nature.
Slower communication with the OS, hindering performance on modern systems.
Lacks security for modern threats (e.g., rootkits).
UEFI:
Allows modern OS features such as faster booting and advanced drivers.
Supports Secure Boot, ensuring only trusted software runs.
Provides compatibility for large storage and modern file systems (like FAT32).
Explain the relationship of BIOS and UEFI to the operating system
BIOS:
Acts as an intermediary between hardware and the OS.
Relies on the MBR to locate and boot the OS.
Limited to older OS designs that support its legacy functionality.
UEFI:
A more direct and efficient bridge between hardware and OS.
Uses a pre-boot environment to load modern OS bootloaders.
Secure Boot ensures that the OS is not tampered with during boot.
Discuss the effect of BIOS and UEFI on computer hardware
BIOS:
Incompatible with modern hardware advancements like large-capacity drives or newer CPUs.
Slower initialization and limited optimization for performance.
UEFI:
Utilizes modern hardware capabilities efficiently (e.g., large storage and 64-bit processors).
Supports energy-efficient components and peripherals.
Future-proof, enabling seamless integration with advanced hardware.
What is the difference between CPU and GPU in terms of processing?
What applications utilize GPU processing?
Gaming and Graphics: Rendering 3D graphics and visuals.
Machine Learning & AI: Training deep learning models (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
Video Processing: Encoding, decoding, and editing videos.
Scientific Computing: Simulations, numerical analysis, weather modeling.
Cryptocurrency Mining: Solving cryptographic hash functions for blockchain.
Medical Imaging: Processing large datasets like MRIs or CT scans.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): Rendering real-time environments.
What are the distinctive features of a GPU architecture?
Parallel Processing: Thousands of cores designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
High Memory Bandwidth: Faster memory access (e.g., GDDR5, GDDR6) for intensive computations.
Stream Processors: Specialized cores for mathematical operations required in rendering.
SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data): Executes the same instruction across multiple data points.
Hardware Accelerators: Includes specialized units for AI inference (e.g., Tensor Cores in NVIDIA GPUs).
Energy Efficiency: Optimized for high-performance tasks at reduced power consumption.
What are the primary functions of CPU and GPU?
Compare and Contrast RAM and ROM
Definition
Volatility
Modifiability
Speed
Use
Capacity
Explain the memory hierarchy in relation to memory management
he memory hierarchy is structured to optimize performance and cost efficiency in memory management. It involves:
Registers:
Closest to the CPU.
Extremely fast but limited in size.
Stores critical data for immediate use by the processor.
Cache Memory:
Faster than RAM but smaller.
Holds frequently accessed data to speed up processes.
Main Memory (RAM):
Larger storage for currently running programs and data.
Directly accessed by the CPU.
Secondary Storage (Hard Drives/SSD):
Non-volatile and much larger than RAM.
Slower and used for long-term data storage.
Tertiary Storage (External Drives, Cloud):
Lowest access speed.
Used for backups and archiving.
Explain the memory hierarchy in relation to Operating System (OS)
Registers:
The OS uses registers for process execution, such as storing instruction pointers and operands.
Cache:
The OS manages cache to reduce latency and access times for frequently used data.
RAM:
The OS allocates RAM for programs and processes dynamically.
Virtual memory extends RAM by using secondary storage as a temporary data repository.
Secondary Storage:
The OS manages paging, swapping, and file storage on secondary drives.
Implements file systems (e.g., NTFS, FAT32) for data organization.
Tertiary Storage:
The OS handles archival storage for large or infrequently accessed files.
Implements backup systems and cloud integration.
