SG: Ch 14: Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Flashcards
You boot up a Windows 10 desktop computer. The Windows splash screen flashes briefly, and then there is no display. What is the best next step to take to troubleshoot the issue?
A. Replace the failed monitor
B. Replace the failed video card
C. Reboot and enable low-resolution video mode
D. Try a second monitor
C. Reboot and enable low-resolution video mode
You have an inkjet printer. Recently, papers are being printed with excessive amounts of ink, and the ink is smearing. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
A. A faulty ink cartridge
B. A corrupt print driver
C. A faulty fuser
D. Too much humidity in the air
A. A faulty ink cartridge
If an ink cartridge is faulty or develops a hole, it can release excessive amounts of ink, which will lead to smearing. A corrupt print driver would result in printing garbage. Inkjet printers do not have a fuser. Excessive humidity may cause smearing, but it wouldn’t cause the disbursement of too much ink.
You are having problems with the video card in one of your computers. Where could you check for troubleshooting information?
A. Another computer with the same video card
B. The video card manufacturer’s website
C. The manual that came with the card
D. The server log
B. The video card manufacturer’s website
The manufacturer’s website is the first place you should go for information on your products, including troubleshooting information. Many years ago, manufacturers would provide paper manuals with their products, but that’s almost unheard of today, unless you download a PDF version from the website. Server logs can show error codes, but they won’t tell you how to fix anything.
A user tells you that his Android phone case is bulging, and the device has been hot to the touch lately. You suspect a swollen battery. Which of the following is a good next step?
A. Replace the device
B. Leave the device on to drain the battery, and then recharge the device
C. Turn the device off, let it cool to room temperature, and then recharge the device
D. Use the battery calibration utility
E. Freeze the system
A. Replace the device
With a swollen battery, the best solution is to replace the device. If you are experienced with mobile device batteries, you may be able to replace the battery, but be careful! You should not charge a swollen battery or freeze the system. A battery calibration utility will do no good.
If the video on your laptop is not working, what should you do to troubleshoot it? (Choose two.)
A. Toggle the video function key
B. Try using an external monitor
C. Remove the display unit and reattach it
D. Power the system off and back on
A. Toggle the video function key
B. Try using an external monitor
Two helpful things to try are toggling the video output function key (usually something like Fn+F8) and plugging an external monitor into the laptop. Removing the display is possible but not necessary yet. Powering the system off and back on isn’t likely to correct the problem.
A network cable for a crucial server has failed. There are no pre-made Ethernet cables available, but there is bulk cable and connectors. Which tool do you need to use to make a new cable?
A. Crimper
B. Punch-down tool
C. Cable tester
D. Loopback plug
A. Crimper
A crimper is used to make network cables. Punch-down tools are used to connect the wires of a cable to a wiring rack, such as a 110-block. Cable testers are for verifying that a cable works properly (and may be handy after you complete the cable). A loopback plug is for testing the ability of a network adapter to send and receive.
You turn a computer on and it doesn’t boot up properly. You hear a rhythmic ticking sound coming from inside the case. What is most likely the problem?
A. The motherboard
B. The power supply fan
C. The HDD
D. The video card
C. The HDD
The only components that make noise are the ones that have moving parts, such as fans and conventional hard disk drives. In most cases, a rhythmic ticking sound will be something that’s generated by a conventional hard disk drive (HDD).
A laptop user with an 802.11ac wireless network card just switched desk locations. In the new location, she says that her wireless drops connectivity intermittently and seems to have slow transfer speeds. Which of the following is most likely to resolve these issues?
A. Replace the network card
B. Run ipconfig to ensure that she is receiving the right IP address from the DHCP server
C. Install a new WAP closer to her new desk
D. Use a network monitor to ensure that there are no IP address conflicts
C. Install a new WAP closer to her new desk
Distance matters in wireless networks. Being too far away from an access point will result in a weaker signal, which can cause intermittent signal drops and poor performance. Moving closer to the wireless access point (WAP) or wireless router can help, as can installing additional WAPs or wireless routers. The IP address from the DHCP server won’t matter, and since she reported no error message, there is not likely to be an IP address conflict. Unless there are other issues, replacing the NIC seems to be overkill.
While troubleshooting a client computer, you decide to obtain a new IP address from the DHCP server. After releasing the existing address, which command do you use to get new IP information from the DHCP server?
A. ipconfig /refresh
B. ipconfig /renew
C. ifconfig /release
D. ifconfig /start
B. ipconfig /renew
The ipconfig command is perhaps the most-used utility in troubleshooting and network configuration. The ipconfig /renew command will send a query to the DHCP server asking it to resend and renew all DHCP information. For a more detailed look at the ipconfig command, type ipconfig /? at the command prompt. The ifconfig command is used with Linux and macOS clients. There are no /refresh or /startswitches for these commands.
The display on a laptop computer is continuously flickering. Which of the following are most likely to cause this problem? (Choose two.)
A. A failing display
B. Interference from a nearby fan
C. A failing backlight
D. A failing inverter
E. Incorrect video driver
C. A failing backlight
D. A failing inverter
Perpetually dim or flickering screens are most likely caused by a failing backlight or inverter, which supplies power to the backlight. LCD devices are not subject to interference from fans. An incorrect video driver will not cause a flickering image.
You believe that a network card is beginning to fail. Which of the following tools should you use to see if the network card is capable of sending and receiving data from an RJ-45 port?
A. Tone generator and probe
B. Loopback plug
C. Multimeter
D. Cable tester
B. Loopback plug
A loopback plug is used to test the ability of a network adapter to send and receive. The plug gets plugged into the NIC, and then a loopback test is performed using troubleshooting software. A tone generator and probe is used to trace a cable. Multimeters test for electrical issues. Cable testers are for verifying that a cable works properly.
You support an old impact printer at work. When the printer prints, there is always a blank horizontal line in the middle of each line of output. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
A. The print ribbon is old and needs to be replaced.
B. The print ribbon is not advancing properly.
C. The print head needs to be replaced.
D. The wrong print driver is installed.
C. The print head needs to be replaced.
If there is a consistent blank space, it likely means that a pin is not firing properly and the print head needs to be replaced. If the print ribbon were old, you would have consistently faded printing. If the ribbon were not advancing properly, you would get light and dark printing. If the wrong driver were installed, you would get garbage.
You turn on a laptop computer and the hard drive is not recognized. Where should you go to troubleshoot the issue?
A. S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics
B. BIOS/UEFI
C. Windows Device Manager
D. Boot sector manager
B. BIOS/UEFI
If the hard drive is not recognized, the BIOS/UEFI is the place to check. Most systems do not come with built-in S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics software, even if the hard drive is capable of gathering S.M.A.R.T. data. And if there were one, it would give you potential errors on a working drive. Windows Device Manager is inaccessible without the drive being recognized. There is no boot sector manager, although this issue could be related to the boot sector.
You are troubleshooting a server and discover that one of the hard drives in the RAID 0 array has failed. Which statement is true?
A. You need to replace the failed drive, but the data is okay because the drive is configured as a mirror.
B. You need to replace the failed drive, but the data is okay because the drive is configured as a disk stripe with parity.
C. You need to replace the failed drive, and the data on the array is lost.
D. You do not need to replace the failed drive; the system will function normally.
C. You need to replace the failed drive, and the data on the array is lost.
A RAID 0 array is also known as disk striping. RAID 0 actually decreases your fault tolerance versus one hard drive because there are more points of failure. You need to replace the drive, and hopefully you had it backed up so that you can restore the data.
Troubleshooting a network connectivity issue takes you into the wiring closet, where you realize that none of the cables are properly labeled. Several are disconnected. Which tool should you use to determine where the cables run to?
A. Loopback plug
B. Punch-down tool
C. Cable tester
D. Tone generator and probe
D. Tone generator and probe
A tone generator and probe is used to trace a cable from one location to another. A loopback plug is for testing the ability of a network adapter to send and receive. Punch-down tools are used to connect the wires of a cable to a wiring rack, such as a 110-block. Cable testers are for verifying that a cable works properly.
