This is a practice exam for IT professionals studying for the CompTIA A+ 220-801. A+ covers the fundamentals of computer technology, installation and configuration of PCs, laptops and related hardware, and basic networking.
1) Which of the following mediums can transmit the farthest?
Fiber uses light, which can travel much farther and faster than electricity. Fiber can go miles, depending on the exact type. While CAT can travel 100 meters, and USB can travel 3 meters.
This question is filed under objective 2, Networking
An optical fiber (or fibre in British English) is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair Optical fibers are used most often as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data transfer rates) than electrical cables Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss in addition, fibers are immune to electromagnetic interference, a problem from which metal wires suffer… Read More
2) Which LCD component is responsible for illuminating the display?
LCD screens use a backlight to illuminate the screen's display. A plasma lamp is the coolest toy at the Discovery Center. Seriously, Google it.
This question is filed under objective 3, Laptops
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers Liquid crystals do not emit light directly, instead using a backlight or reflector to produce images in color or monochrome LCDs are available to display arbitrary images (as in a general-purpose computer display) or fixed images with low information content, which can be displayed or hidden For instance: preset words, digits, and seven-segment displays, as in a digital clock, are all good examples of devices with these displays They use the same basic technology, except that arbitrary images are made from a matrix of small pixels, while other… Read More
3) What does ECC memory do?
ECC Memory is "Error Correction Code Memory." This memory can detect and fix errors in your memory.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
Error correction code memory (ECC memory) is a type of computer data storage that uses an error correction code (ECC) to detect and correct n-bit data corruption which occurs in memory ECC memory is used in most computers where data corruption cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, like industrial control applications, critical databases, and infrastructural memory caches Typically, ECC memory maintains a memory system immune to single-bit errors: the data that is read from each word is always the same as the data that had been written to it, even if one of the bits actually stored has been flipped to the wrong state… Read More
4) Which of the following laptop components can be easily upgraded?
Laptop designs often make it difficult to upgrade or change components like video cards, processors and motherboards. RAM and Hard drives are typically easily accessible and cost effective to upgrade in a laptop.
This question is filed under objective 3, Laptops
Random-access memory (RAM ) is a form of computer memory that can be read and changed in any order, typically used to store working data and machine code A random-access memory device allows data items to be read or written in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside the memory, in contrast with other direct-access data storage media (such as hard disks, CD-RWs, DVD-RWs and the older magnetic tapes and drum memory), where the time required to read and write data items varies significantly depending on their physical locations on the recording medium, due to mechanical limitations such as media rotation speeds and arm movement… Read More
5) Which of the following can be used as an appropriate boot device?
A USB Drive is the only device or component that can be used as a boot device. FDISK refers to the command line tool and a Floppy Disk.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
USB drive may refer to: A USB flash drive or "thumb drive", a USB-connected computer storage using semiconductor non-volatile random-access memory A USB external drive, a hard drive fitted with a USB interface Secure Digital, a non-volatile memory card format CompactFlash, a flash memory mass storage device Memory Stick, a removable flash memory card format … Read More
6) Which of the following is a digital interface?
DVI, which stands for Digital Visual Interface, is a digital interface used to connect a monitor to a PC
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video display interface developed by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG) The digital interface is used to connect a video source, such as a video display controller, to a display device, such as a computer monitor It was developed with the intention of creating an industry standard for the transfer of digital video content This interface is designed to transmit uncompressed digital video and can be configured to support multiple modes such as DVI-A (analog only), DVI-D (digital only) or DVI-I (digital and analog) Featuring support for analog connections, the DVI specification is compatible with the VGA interface… Read More
7) Which of the following is least likely to be considered "consumer replaceable" in a laptop?
A laptop's hard drive, optical drive, and RAM can all be easily replaced by an average person with little to no training. However, the motherboard will require a professional to replace.
This question is filed under objective 3, Laptops
A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expandable systems It holds and allows communication between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals Unlike a backplane, a motherboard usually contains significant sub-systems, such as the central processor, the chipset's input/output and memory controllers, interface connectors, and other components integrated for general use Motherboard means specifically a PCB with expansion capabilities As the name suggests, this board is often referred to as the "mother" of all components… Read More
8) What type of expansion slot has "x16" speed?
PCIe, or PCI-Express, comes in x1, x4, x8, x16, x32 speeds.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially abbreviated as PCIe or PCI-e, is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard, designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X and AGP bus standards It is the common motherboard interface for personal computers' graphics cards, hard disk drive host adapters, SSDs, Wi-Fi and Ethernet hardware connections PCIe has numerous improvements over the older standards, including higher maximum system bus throughput, lower I/O pin count and smaller physical footprint, better performance scaling for bus devices, a more detailed error detection and reporting mechanism (Advanced Error Reporting, AER), and native hot-swap functionality More recent revisions of the PCIe standard… Read More
9) A laptop needs to be opened up, the AC power adapter is currently unplugged. What will the next step be?
The laptop is unplugged, so now you need to remove it's backup power source, the battery.
This question is filed under objective 3, Laptops
A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard These typically have a clamshell form factor, typically having the screen mounted on the inside of the upper lid and the keyboard on the inside of the lower lid, although 2-in-1 PCs with a detachable keyboard are often marketed as laptops or as having a laptop mode Laptops are folded shut for transportation, and thus are suitable for mobile use Its name comes from lap, as it was deemed practical to be placed on a person's lap when being used… Read More
10) Which of these is most likely needed when installing a new thermal printer?
You will need drivers, which will allow your operating system and hardware to communicate together.
This question is filed under objective 4, Printers
In computing, a device driver is a computer program that operates or controls a particular type of device that is attached to a computer or automaton A driver provides a software interface to hardware devices, enabling operating systems and other computer programs to access hardware functions without needing to know precise details about the hardware being used A driver communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware connects When a calling program invokes a routine in the driver, the driver issues commands to the device Once the device sends data back to the driver, the driver may invoke routines in the original calling program… Read More
11) Which cable type has a max transmission speed of 100Mb?
Category 5 ethernet has a max transmission speed of 100Mbp/s.
This question is filed under objective 2, Networking
Category 5 cable (Cat 5) is a twisted pair cable for computer networks Since 2001, the variant commonly in use is the Category 5e specification (Cat 5e) The cable standard provides performance of up to 100 MHz and is suitable for most varieties of Ethernet over twisted pair up to 25GBASE-T but more commonly runs at 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) speeds Cat 5 is also used to carry other signals such as telephone and video This cable is commonly connected using punch-down blocks and modular connectors Most Category 5 cables are unshielded, relying on the balanced line twisted pair design and differential signaling for noise rejection… Read More
12) Which of the following terms describes a network that is entirely in a single building?
A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building using network media.
This question is filed under objective 2, Networking
A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, school, laboratory, university campus or office building By contrast, a wide area network (WAN) not only covers a larger geographic distance, but also generally involves leased telecommunication circuits Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two most common technologies in use for local area networks Historical network technologies include ARCNET, Token Ring, and AppleTalk … Read More
13) Illegal materials were found on a workstation. Once documented, what should happen next when storing the workstation?
The chain of custody will be used in court to prove that the computer's information was not changed while stored.
This question is filed under objective 5, Operational Procedures
Chain of custody (CoC), in legal contexts, is the chronological documentation or paper trail that records the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of materials, including physical or electronic evidence Of particular importance in criminal cases, the concept is also applied in civil litigation and more broadly in drug testing of athletes and in supply chain management, eg to improve the traceability of food products, or to provide assurances that wood products originate from sustainably managed forests It is often a tedious process that has been required for evidence to be shown legally in court Now however, with new portable technology that allows accurate laboratory quality results from the scene of the crime,… Read More
14) A user's laptop screen is very dim, a technician checks all settings to be fine. What is likely the issue?
The backlight is what provides illumination for an LCD laptop screen, it is likely that it is failing.
This question is filed under objective 3, Laptops
A backlight is a form of illumination used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) As LCDs do not produce light by themselves—unlike, for example, cathode ray tube (CRT) displays—they need illumination (ambient light or a special light source) to produce a visible image Backlights illuminate the LCD from the side or back of the display panel, unlike frontlights, which are placed in front of the LCD Backlights are used in small displays to increase readability in low light conditions such as in wristwatches, and are used in smart phones, computer displays and LCD televisions to produce light in a manner similar to a CRT display… Read More
15) A large company has a nation-wide network, consisting of several smaller networks linked through a VPN and the internet. Which term would best apply to this network?
A Wide-Area-Network (WAN) is a series of smaller networks that are linked together to form a single, large network. Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) are very similar to WANs, but are geographically smaller and typically used by city governments and universities.
This question is filed under objective 2, Networking
A wide area network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area for the primary purpose of computer networking Wide area networks are often established with leased telecommunication circuitsBusinesses, as well as schools and government entities, use wide area networks to relay data to staff, students, clients, buyers and suppliers from various locations across the world In essence, this mode of telecommunication allows a business to effectively carry out its daily function regardless of location The Internet may be considered a WAN … Read More
16) Which of the following has the fastest connection speed?
Cable internet is the fastest out of the four.
This question is filed under objective 2, Networking
In telecommunications, cable Internet access, shortened to cable Internet, is a form of broadband Internet access which uses the same infrastructure as a cable television Like digital subscriber line and fiber to the premises services, cable Internet access provides network edge connectivity (last mile access) from the Internet service provider to an end user It is integrated into the cable television infrastructure analogously to DSL which uses the existing telephone network Cable TV networks and telecommunications networks are the two predominant forms of residential Internet access Recently, both have seen increased competition from fiber deployments, wireless, and mobile networks … Read More
17) Which type of storage requires regular defragmentation?
HDDs or Hard Disk Drives are the older, magnetic disk storage devices that can and will become fragmented with use. SSD, NV Memory, and Flash are actually the same technology and do not become fragmented.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage and one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with magnetic material The platters are paired with magnetic heads, usually arranged on a moving actuator arm, which read and write data to the platter surfaces Data is accessed in a random-access manner, meaning that individual blocks of data can be stored and retrieved in any order HDDs are a type of non-volatile storage, retaining stored data even when powered off Modern HDDs are typically in the form of a small rectangular box… Read More
18) Which of the following is likely to be found in a high end gaming desktop?
A gaming computer will need a good graphics card, in order to generate the graphics used in modern games.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics adapter, or display adapter) is an expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display device (such as a computer monitor) Frequently, these are advertised as discrete or dedicated graphics cards, emphasizing the distinction between these and integrated graphics At the core of both is the graphics processing unit (GPU), which is the main part that does the actual computations, but should not be confused with the graphics card as a whole, although "GPU" is often used as a metonymic shorthand to refer to graphics cards… Read More
19) Your motherboard has 4 memory slots, 2 blue, 2 black. How should you arrange your memory?
All the memory does not have to match, but each slot must match its pair. Meaning both black must match, and both blue must match, but the black and blue slots do not need to match eachother.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
20) Which slot would be best for housing a gaming graphics card?
PCIe x16 is the best choice to house a graphics card, because PCIe x16 can operate at speeds of 128Gbit/s.
This question is filed under objective 1, PC Hardware
PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially abbreviated as PCIe or PCI-e, is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard, designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X and AGP bus standards It is the common motherboard interface for personal computers' graphics cards, hard disk drive host adapters, SSDs, Wi-Fi and Ethernet hardware connections PCIe has numerous improvements over the older standards, including higher maximum system bus throughput, lower I/O pin count and smaller physical footprint, better performance scaling for bus devices, a more detailed error detection and reporting mechanism (Advanced Error Reporting, AER), and native hot-swap functionality More recent revisions of the PCIe standard… Read More
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