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 processor packaging that uses pads on the processor that come in contact with pins in the socket on the motherboard - permitting a higher density than possible with PGA.






2. The first physical sector on a floppy disk or the first sector on a hard drive partition. The boot record contains information about the OS. The boot record on a primary active partition is used to start the operating system. Also called the boot sec






3. The read-only DVD discs sold at retail stores - containing video or software and having a maximum capacity of 15.9 GB of data. This term also applies to the drives that can only read DVDs.






4. Aka Scalable Link Interface.






5. A set of behaviors including active listening and active speaking that shows you are fully engaged in the conversation and encourages the other person to also communicate in a positive manner.






6. A circuit on a motherboard through which incoming power passes. Several voltage regulators maintain a steady voltage as demand goes up and down - with one or more voltage regulators for the various voltages required (5 volts - 12 volts - 3.3 volts -






7. Memory that does not require power to keep stored data intact. Also called flash memory.






8. A double-sided - single-layer digital versatile disc (DVD) that stores 9.4 GB of data - or over four hours of video.






9. A computer's temporary working space - usually in DRAM chips.






10. A depressed area on an optical disc that is alternated with raised areas to be interpreted as data.






11. A cooling fan mounted directly on the case - as opposed to a power supply fan - which is inside the power supply.






12. A standardized document that contains general information - ingredients - and fire and explosion warnings as well as health - disposal - and safe transportation information about a particular product. Any manufacturer that sells a potentially hazardo






13. A password that meets certain criteria in order to be difficult to crack. One definition of a strong password is one that contains at least eight characters - includes a combination of letters - numbers - and other symbols ( _ - - - $ - and so on) an






14. In networking - this is a set of rules for using network hardware and software. In most discussions about networks - this term is assigned to certain network software components.






15. The language of Web pages. Web designers use the HTML language to create Web page code - which your Web browser converts into the pages you view on your screen.






16. An optical semiconductor used in small projectors and in rear-projection televisions.






17. A program that blocks browser pop-ups.






18. Aka top-level domain.






19. In a laser printer - a metal drum with an electro-photosensitive coating to which a charge can be applied by a laser beam.






20. A method used by several software manufacturers to combat software piracy. The formal name for Microsoft's activation is Microsoft Product Activation (MPA).






21. Information organized as a unit into a container. The author (creator) of a file controls how much information the file contains.






22. The black box that appears around an image - such as a widescreen video when it is displayed on a screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio.






23. A set of standards for imaging devices - such as scanners and cameras - that is used in drivers and other software for these devices.






24. A CPU containing two CPU cores.






25. A type of DIMM memory module used in laptops.






26. Fiber-optic cable that allows only a single light wave to pass down the cable.






27. A misnomer - referring to the BIOS settings that are stored in a CMOS chip.






28. A method for allocating disk space on hard disks in which configuration information for each dynamic disk is located on the disk space beyond the first physical sector. This configuration information is stored outside of any volume on the hard disk.






29. Aka paging file.






30. The plug at the end of a cable or the port or connection point on a computer or device.






31. In a laser printer - a wire that stretches across the printer's drum - not touching it - but positioned very close to the drum's surface so it can pass high voltage to the drum.






32. Memory that is accessible in any (random) order. Most of the memory in a PC is RAM.






33. A perpetrator of malicious software attacks against computers and networks. Also called a cracker.






34. [1] On computer circuit boards - a very tiny slide that indicates two states.. [2] In a network - a network device - much like a hub - except that a switch takes an incoming signal and sends it to only the destination port - avoiding collisions and m






35. The type of battery used in the first portable PCs - which was heavy and inefficient.






36. A version of the FAT file system used by MS-DOS for hard drives - using a 16-bit file allocation table.






37. Aka pointing stick.






38. An area under the pinned items list on the Windows XP Start menu that contains shortcuts to recently run programs.






39. Aka ATA Packet Interface.






40. The practice - mostly among gamers - of modifying a computer case.






41. In an access control list - a record containing just one user or group account name and the permissions assigned to that account.






42. Aka interrupt request line.






43. A device used with a laptop. The port replicator remains on the desktop with external devices connected to ports on it. A laptop then needs only one connection to the port replicator to have access to the peripherals.






44. Aka peripheral component interconnect.






45. A word used to describe memory that cannot work without a steady supply of power.






46. At first - a terminal was not much more than a display - a keyboard - and the minimal circuitry for connecting to the mainframe. Now - a terminal can be a computer running Windows or other operating system - plus terminal client emulation software th






47. A drive that is mapped to an empty folder on an NTFS volume and is assigned a drive path rather than drive letters.






48. A device that takes video output and projects it onto a screen for viewing by a larger audience.






49. A plastic card - often the size of a credit card - that contains a microchip. The microchip can store information and perform functions - depending on the type of smart card. Some smart cards only store data - whereas others may have a variety of fun






50. A method for supporting up to 8.3 GB capacity hard drives. Both the BIOS and hard drive system must use LBA.