Test your basic knowledge |

Comptia A + Certification

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A joke program that produces strange behavior - such as screen distortions - erratic cursor behavior - or strange icons to appear on the screen.






2. The protocol used to allow client computers to pick up e-mail from mail servers. The current version is POP3.






3. The box that houses the main computer system.






4. The specific requirements for the level of CPU - amount of memory - and size of the hard disk for the computer on which an operating system can be installed.






5. A DVI mode that supports both analog and digital video signals.






6. An assigned address or range of addresses on a system's address bus that - together with an interrupt request line (IRQ) - allows a device to be recognized by the processor.






7. Aka radio frequency.






8. In computer networking - a network located between a private network and the Internet with a firewall on both sides. A DMZ contains servers offering services to users on the Internet and inside the protected private network.






9. Aka asynchronous transfer mode.






10. Digital versatile disc (DVD) discs that can be written to once - but data cannot be overwritten. This term also refers to the drives that can write to these discs.






11. A file format for movie DVDs.






12. A rectangular connector with a locking clip on one side and a number designation that refers to the size rather than the number of wires.






13. An encryption technology introduced in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate editions - Windows Server 2008 - and also in Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions. It encrypts the entire boot volume.






14. The name used by the Windows operating systems to identify the first parallel port.






15. Aka Advanced Communications Riser.






16. On a cable network - the device used at the customer site for the analog/digital conversion.






17. The number of colors used by a display.






18. A socket for a PGA CPU that has a retention lever as well as contacts to match the number of pins on the CPU. The lever is used to attach the CPU to the socket in a manner that does not require force to insert or to remove the CPU.






19. An adapter card used to run a special diagnostic test on a computer as it is powering up. These tests usually go beyond those performed by the system BIOS-based POST.






20. The logical structure on disk that allows the operating system to save and retrieve files. Examples of file systems are FAT and NTFS. Both of these file system have different versions - such as FAT12 - FAT16 - FAT32 - and NTFS 4.0 and NTFS 5.0.






21. A CPU power-saving mode that allows a CPU to reduce its speed without losing its place so it does not stop working altogether. SMM also allows the CPU to trigger power saving in other components.






22. Aka low-voltage differential (LVD).






23. Aka audio modem riser.






24. A small cassette containing an ink reservoir used to provide the medium for certain printers. An ink cartridge will only fit a certain model printer.






25. A virus that is self-replicating.






26. A network in which dedicated computers called servers store data and provide print services or other capabilities to computers running the appropriate client service or services.






27. Aka logical block address.






28. A variation of the PGA CPU packaging that was used with Pentium CPUs.






29. Aka Address Resolution Protocol.






30. Aka secure socket layer.






31. A type of printer that transfers ink to paper by causing a print head to strike a printer ribbon containing ink against the paper.






32. Super XGA - a video graphics mode with a maximum resolution of 1280






33. Storage media that is removable - meaning the drive stays in place - while the media (disk - disc - or tape) is removed and replaced with another disk - disc - or tape.






34. A device that converts DC current to AC. An inverter is required in a laptop to provide the AC current required by the display.






35. A now-obsolete type of rechargeable battery used in laptops and other portable devices - replaced by lithium-ion batteries.






36. A utility for migrating data from many computers - or if you need to perform what Microsoft calls a "wipe-and-load migration" from and to the same computer. Available in Windows XP - Vista - and Windows 7.






37. A cable medium that transmits light pulses rather than electrical signals - so it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI).






38. Aka power-on self-test.






39. The process that authenticates a user and verifies the user account's level of access to a resource.






40. A power supply that converts between alternating current and direct current.






41. DRAM that runs at the speed of the system bus (up to 100-133 MHz).






42. A command-line utility - installed with the TCP/IP protocol suite - that is used to troubleshoot DNS problems by querying DNS name servers and displaying the results of the queries.






43. In a low-profile PC case - a card that plugs into a motherboard to allow other cards to be inserted at a right angle to the riser card and parallel to the motherboard. Also - a single expansion card containing multiple functions - such as modem - sou






44. The former name of the Parallel AT Attachment (PATA) interface standard.






45. An LCD display that accepts a digital signal. Early LCD displays accepted an analog signal and converted it to digital internally.






46. A dedicated computer that stores data and provides print services or other capabilities to network clients.






47. Not revealing information about someone that would be harmful to or embarrass him or her.






48. A paid television subscription service offered by cable television providers.






49. A generic reference to a PC's serial communications port - in which the x represents the port number.






50. Aka Fast Ethernet.