Test your basic knowledge |

Comptia A +: Hardware

Subjects : certifications, comptia-a-+, it-skills

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. Serial ports have this many pins.
Joystick
9
removable chips on the motherboard
4

2. What are the two types of RAM?
Dynamic and Static - Dynamic - loses info in the absence of power. Static - retains info like a hard drive.
144
Random Access Memory (RAM)
RAMBUS Inline Memory Module - Comes in 184 and 232-pin slot

3. RAID 5 has at least ___ hard drives.
144
TRS
video ram for the use of the Graphic Processing Unit (GPU). Not related to Virtual RAM.
3

4. DSD or Dynamic State Drives are organized into Tracks or Rings - and sectors or _____.
240
Radial Lines
Networking and Communications
Power failure

5. External modems most commonly connect to this port.
Serial
Too much voltage
Cache
CMOS

6. Software that has been permanently placed in a hardware component. An example is a BIOS chip.
detects and fixes corrupt data in RAM.
verifying data integrity.
Firmware
Redundant Array of Independant (Inexpensive) Disks.

7. The event of a program being loaded - retrieved - transmitted - or executed. Major components include: - CPU (Central Processing Unit) - RAM
Front Side Bus.
the motherboard
7 or 15 (powered)
Processing

8. The physical components that work together to make a computer system or network: - Keyboard - mouse - monitor - printer - Connectors and cables - Drives - Circuit boards
9
Hardware
Space on the HD that the RAM uses as an overflow area and as a backup copy of the contents in case of power failure.
Serial

9. An example of a device that uses a 6-pin Mini-DIN connector.
Storage
PS/2-style mouse
the motherboard
Too little voltage

10. The BIOS is stored on the _______ chip that is on the motherboard.
CMOS
BIOS
Standardization
240

11. What do the type types of Hard Drive acronyms stand for?
Liquid Crystal Display
5.25
Zero Insertion Force. a physical interface that lets you set the CPU into the array - and then use actuate a lever to make actual contact.
DSD and SSD (DSD - Dynamic State Drives SSD - Solid State Drives)

12. What does ECC do?
detects and fixes corrupt data in RAM.
Liquid Crystal Display
Line Grid Array
50 - 68 - or 80

13. Spike
Very Brief time (milliseconds) of too much voltage
TRS
Redundant Array of Independant (Inexpensive) Disks.
1600 x 1200

14. What is a Blackout?
detects and fixes corrupt data in RAM.
Synchronous Dynamic RAM. Data transfer is timed to the system clock. DDR replaced 168 SDRAM
Too much voltage
Power failure

15. A working PC is a combination of many different parts - also called a Field-Replaceable Unit (FRU) - can be replaced when faulty or upgraded to provide additional functionality.
200
Componentization
ECC
1. jumper 2. dip switch 3. push button switch 4. and configured with a separae SCSI BIOS

16. A temporary data storage location that can be read from and written to.
ECC
DB-25
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Joystick

17. An example of firmware.
BIOS
CMOS
Input
Networking and Communications

18. A special RAM chip powered and maintained by a small battery that holds basic configuration data a computer needs to start.
184
B-9 serial
CMOS
Storage

19. UXGA is _____x_____
Networking and Communications
RJ-45
1600 x 1200
Serial

20. A dime sized component of the camera head into which light enters and is converted into and electronic or video signal
charged coupled device (CCD)
Reduced Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in data collection - sensors - routers - and graphics processors.
its used as 'Endlessly' rewritable and used primarily as surveillance camera footage.
Standardization

21. What are the 5 Expansion Slot types - Daughter Boards or Riser Boards?
Radial Lines
Standardization
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA
Joystick

22. Level one cache is located on ___________.
Joystick
Random Access Memory (RAM)
the CPU
34

23. SDRAM sands for _______.
BIOS
Synchronous Dynamic RAM. Data transfer is timed to the system clock. DDR replaced 168 SDRAM
order Boot sequence - Integrated devices - drive controllers - power supply settings
detects and fixes corrupt data in RAM.

24. How many pins is a DDR2 DIMM?
240
Firmware
its used as 'Endlessly' rewritable and used primarily as surveillance camera footage.
50 - 68 - or 80

25. A type of memory that loses data when the power is no longer supplied to the component.
Volatile
Coaxial
Front Side Bus.
RAMBUS Inline Memory Module - Comes in 184 and 232-pin slot

26. PGA stands for
Coaxial
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA
Pin Grid Array
Complex -Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in General Purpose PCs

27. QXGA is ____x____
Firewire 6-pin
2048 x 1536
1024 x 786
Cache

28. What is Virtual RAM?
184
Space on the HD that the RAM uses as an overflow area and as a backup copy of the contents in case of power failure.
1. jumper 2. dip switch 3. push button switch 4. and configured with a separae SCSI BIOS
240

29. Parity is a method of ____________. It is used when the reliability of the data is more important than the speed at which it is written or read. When the data is read or received - the bytes should still be even. If not - the data is corrupt.
verifying data integrity.
240
Synchronous Dynamic RAM. Data transfer is timed to the system clock. DDR replaced 168 SDRAM
B-9 serial

30. Before sending a power supply to the recycling facility...
34
B-9 serial
discharge the capacitors by touching and connecting the phase with the ground plug and then the neutral to the ground plug with an insulated screwdriver or pliers.
Error Correction Code.

31. What does LCD stand for?
Network communications
Small Outline DIMM
Liquid Crystal Display
order Boot sequence - Integrated devices - drive controllers - power supply settings

32. What does ECC stand for?
Liquid Crystal Display
Error Correction Code.
DB-15
240

33. Surge
verifying data integrity.
50 - 68 - or 80
Too much voltage
184

34. The actual speed of the CPU is governed by a _______ setting called the clock rate.
BIOS
144
Networking and Communications
Reduced Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in data collection - sensors - routers - and graphics processors.

35. LGA stands for ______.
1600 x 1200
Line Grid Array
Cache
Componentization

36. RAID 1+0 and 0+1 require ____ disks which are two disks that are striped and then mirrored or vise vera.
Radial Lines
4
its used as 'Endlessly' rewritable and used primarily as surveillance camera footage.
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA

37. Joystick or MIDI device (game port) - High Density DB-15 - VGA/SVGA monitor - 6-pin Mini-DIN - PS/2-style keyboard or mouse - By convention - purple connectors are used for the keyboard - and green connectors are used for the mouse.
DB-15
RAMBUS Inline Memory Module - Comes in 184 and 232-pin slot
Single Inline Memory Module - has 30 or 72 contacts on only one side.
VGA/SVGA monitor

38. BIOS allows you to do 4 things - what are they?
Hardware
order Boot sequence - Integrated devices - drive controllers - power supply settings
4
Serial

39. Networking is a specialized form of input and output that entails using media (cable) and devices (routers - switches) to link multiple computers into an interconnected unit.
Networking and Communications
Cathode Ray Tube
removable chips on the motherboard
7 or 15 (powered)

40. Speaker or microphone - Common color codes for connectors are: Red = Mic In - Blue = Line In - Green = Line Out
Pin Grid Array
Output
TRS
3

41. level three cache is located on _________.
removable chips on the motherboard
Reduced Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in data collection - sensors - routers - and graphics processors.
tasks or 'Threads'
B-9 serial

42. What is the formal name of the 'headphone jack'?
Firmware
240
a mini DIN Tip Sleeve Ring (TSR) 3.5 millimeter jack
DSD and SSD (DSD - Dynamic State Drives SSD - Solid State Drives)

43. Parity is used in some _____________ - hard drives - and RAM.
Very Brief time (milliseconds) of too much voltage
Network communications
PS/2-style mouse
video ram for the use of the Graphic Processing Unit (GPU). Not related to Virtual RAM.

44. What are the 4 main types of storage?
they plug into the motherboard to allow further expansion. 1. Magnetic Disk 2. Tape 3. Laser 4. Solid State Flash
Power failure
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA
Cache

45. Printers
DB-25 parallel
discharge the capacitors by touching and connecting the phase with the ground plug and then the neutral to the ground plug with an insulated screwdriver or pliers.
144
7 or 15 (powered)

46. What are the 6 form factors of motherboards?
ATX - BTX - Micro ATX - ITX - NLX - and LPX
CMOS
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA
ECC

47. Hard Drives mount at 3.5 or 2.5 - Optical Drives mount at _____.
a mini DIN Tip Sleeve Ring (TSR) 3.5 millimeter jack
RAMBUS Inline Memory Module - Comes in 184 and 232-pin slot
5.25
Network communications

48. Computer programs that perform specific tasks include: - Operating System- Program applications - Hardware drivers (special programs that tell the operating system how to use the hardware)
BIOS
Software
PCIe - PCI - AGP - ESIA - and ISA
Complex -Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in General Purpose PCs

49. What does SIMM stand for?
200
9
40 or 80
Single Inline Memory Module - has 30 or 72 contacts on only one side.

50. CPUs: What is RISC?
RJ-45
RJ-11
Reduced Instruction - Set - Chips - Used in data collection - sensors - routers - and graphics processors.
BIOS