Practice Questions

1. Which of the following servers is responsible for resolving a name such as dprocomputer.com to its corresponding IP address?

A. Web server

B. FTP server

C. DNS server

D. Proxy server

E. Syslog server

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 64

2. Which of the following statements describe advantages of using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)? (Select the two best answers.)

A. IP addresses can be managed from a central location.

B. The network speed can automatically adjust based on the type of traffic being generated.

C. The hosts file on the computer can be validated for proper entries.

D. Media access control addresses can be changed.

E. Computers can automatically get new addressing when moved to different network segments.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 64

3. Which of the following storage technologies is used by hard disk drives?

A. Magnetic

B. Optical

C. Impact

D. Solid state

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 64

4. A business owner wants to provide the following for laptop users:

Security

Ability to charge their devices

Ability to access corporate LAN resources

Hardware and peripheral connectivity

Which of the following devices would be the best solution?

A. Thunderbolt

B. USB hub

C. Docking station

D. Thin client

E. Cable lock

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 64

5. A client brings in a printer that is giving a paper-feed error. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

A. The separation pad

B. The developing rollers

C. The paper tray

D. The pickup rollers

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 65

6. Which protocol uses port 389?

A. SMTP

B. POP3

C. LDAP

D. HTTPS

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 65

7. What is the maximum distance at which a Class 2 Bluetooth device can receive signals from a Bluetooth access point?

A. 100 meters

B. 10 meters

C. 5 meters

D. 1 meter

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 65

8. Which of the following wireless networking standards operates at 5 GHz only? (Select the two best answers.)

A. 802.11a

B. 802.11b

C. 802.11g

D. 802.11n

E. 802.11ac

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 65

9. Which of the following types of RAM has a peak transfer rate of 21,333 MB/s?

A. DDR4-2133

B. DDR4-2400

C. DDR4-2666

D. DDR5-4800

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 66

10. Which of the following types of printers uses a printhead, ribbon, and tractor feed?

A. Laser

B. Impact

C. Inkjet

D. Thermal

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 66

11. Several users on your network are reporting that a network printer, which is controlled by a print server, is not printing. What is the first action you should take to fix the problem?

A. Have the affected users restart their computers.

B. Replace the USB cable.

C. Clear the print queue.

D. Reinstall the printer drivers on the affected users’ computers.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 66

12. Which of the following is a possible symptom of a failing CPU?

A. CPU is beyond the recommended voltage range.

B. Computer won’t boot.

C. BIOS/UEFI reports low temperatures within the case.

D. Spyware is installed in the browser.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 67

13. Which of the following cable types is not affected by EMI but requires specialized tools for installation?

A. Cat 6

B. STP

C. Fiber optic

D. Coaxial

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 67

14. Setting an administrator password in the BIOS/UEFI accomplishes which of the following?

A. Prevents a user from rearranging the boot order

B. Prevents a user from reading email

C. Prevents a virus from infecting the MBR

D. Prevents an attacker from opening the case

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 67

15. Which of the following functions is performed by the external power supply of a laptop?

A. Increases voltage

B. Stores power

C. Converts DC power to AC power

D. Converts AC power to DC power

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 68

16. What type of printer driver should you install for a Windows user who needs to print general office documents?

A. PCL

B. PostScript

C. ADF

D. AirPrint

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 68

17. Which of the following describes an LCD display’s contrast ratio?

A. Power consumption

B. Display resolution and brightness

C. The brightest and darkest outputs

D. Power savings

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 68

18. Which of the following tools can protect you in the event of a surge?

A. Torx screwdriver

B. Antistatic strap

C. Voltmeter

D. Antistatic mat

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 68

19. Which of the following connectors can have audio and video pass through it?

A. VGA

B. RGB

C. DVI

D. HDMI

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 69

20. Which of the following devices limits network broadcasts, segments IP address ranges, and interconnects different physical media?

A. Switch

B. WAP

C. Firewall

D. Router

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 69

21. Many users forget one or more passwords to corporate applications on their mobile devices. You are tasked with creating a simple yet secure solution that will reduce help desk tickets. Which of the following should you do?

A. Set up MFA

B. Configure biometric authentication

C. Implement single sign-on

D. Remove password complexity requirements

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 69

22. You just upgraded the CPU. Which of the following issues can make your computer shut down automatically after a few minutes? (Select the best answer.)

A. The wrong CPU driver is being used.

B. The voltage to the CPU is incorrect.

C. The incorrect CPU has been installed.

D. The CPU has overheated.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 70

23. Which of the following is a valid IPv4 address for a networked host?

A. 127.0.0.1

B. 169.254.0.0/16

C. 172.17.58.254

D. 255.10.15.7

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 70

24. You want to upgrade memory in your computer. Which of the following is user-replaceable memory in a PC?

A. CMOS

B. BIOS

C. DRAM

D. SRAM

E. ROM

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 70

25. Which of the following IP addresses is private?

A. 11.58.254.169

B. 169.255.10.41

C. 172.31.1.1

D. 192.169.0.1

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 71

26. Which of the following is the local loopback IPv6 address?

A. 127.0.0.1

B. ::1

C. 192.168.0.0

D. FE80::/10

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 71

27. Which of the following statements concerning IPv6 addresses is correct?

A. They cannot be used with IPv4.

B. They are supported by all routers.

C. They represent addressing using 128 bits.

D. They require fiber-optic connections.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 71

28. You are working at a DNS server and see the following entry:

Click here to view code image

server1.example.com        IN    10.0.0.1

What kind of entry is this?

A. MX record

B. A record

C. AAAA record

D. TXT record

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 71

29. Which of the following printer technologies should be used to print payroll checks on paper forms that have a carbon backing?

A. Impact

B. Laser

C. Inkjet

D. Thermal

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 71

30. Which of the following is not a configuration that can be made in the BIOS/UEFI?

A. Boot sequence

B. Temperature thresholds

C. Overclocking

D. Driver installation

E. Intrusion detection

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 72

31. Which of the following traits and port numbers are associated with POP3? (Select the two best answers.)

A. Receives inbound email on port 110

B. Receives inbound email on port 25

C. Sends outbound email on port 110

D. Sends outbound email on port 25

E. Receives inbound email on port 995

F. Sends outbound email on port 587

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 72

32. Which type of cable should be used to connect a laptop directly to a PC?

A. Cat 6 patch cable

B. Parallel cable

C. Rolled cable

D. Cat 5e crossover cable

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 72

33. To perform a network installation of Windows, which of the following must be supported by the computer’s network interface card?

A. PXE

B. PCIe

C. PCL

D. PnP

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 72

34. Which of the following devices is the least likely to be replaced on a laptop?

A. CPU

B. RAM

C. M.2 card

D. Keyboard

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 73

35. If your “bandwidth” is 1000 Mbps, how many bits are you sending/receiving? (Select the two best answers.)

A. 100,000,000 bits per minute

B. 1000 bits per second

C. 1,000,000,000 bits per second

D. 1 gigabit per second

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 73

36. Which of the following can send data the farthest?

A. Multi-mode fiber

B. Single-mode fiber

C. STP

D. Coaxial

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 73

37. You need to expand the peripherals of a computer, but the system doesn’t have enough ports. Which type of card should be installed?

A. Modem

B. Network adapter

C. USB card

D. TV tuner card

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 73

38. Which of the following is the typical speed of an SATA hard disk drive?

A. 1000 Mbps

B. 3.1 GHz

C. 32 GB

D. 7200 RPM

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 73

39. Which of the following best describes the differences between a switch and a router?

A. A switch interconnects devices on the same network so that they can communicate; a router interconnects one or more networks.

B. A router broadcasts all data packets that are sent on the network; a switch transmits data directly to a device.

C. A switch broadcasts all data packets that are sent on the network; a router transmits data directly to a device.

D. A switch interconnects one or more networks; a router interconnects devices on a network.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 74

40. A group of users in ABC Corp. needs to back up a terabyte of data daily. The data must be stored on durable backup media. Which of the following is the best media for this scenario?

A. DVD

B. RAID 5

C. USB flash drive

D. LTO

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 74

41. The organization you work for has three locations within a city that need to be networked together. The network requirement for all three locations is a minimum data throughput of 1 Gbps. Which of the following network types are most likely to be used for internal office and office-to-office communications? (Select the two best answers.)

A. LAN

B. PAN

C. WAN

D. MAN

E. SAN

F. WLAN

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 74

42. Which of the following is a popular maker of virtualization software?

A. VDI

B. IaaS

C. Metered utilization

D. VMware

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 74

43. You need to replace and upgrade the memory card in a smartphone. Which type of memory is most likely used by the smartphone?

A. SSD

B. NVMe

C. USB flash drive

D. SD

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 75

44. You want to use four 16 GB memory modules in your new desktop computer, and you want the RAM to work simultaneously. What kind of technology does your motherboard need to have?

A. DDR

B. SODIMM

C. Quad-channel

D. ECC

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 75

45. You are repairing a laser printer because narrow, faded lines run the length of the printed pages. The faded lines are always in the same place. What should you do to fix the problem?

A. Replace the toner cartridge

B. Update the firmware

C. Replace the corona wire

D. Refill the ink cartridge

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 75

46. Which of the following tools should be used to test a 24-pin ATX 12 V power connector?

A. Torx screwdriver

B. PSU tester

C. Receptacle tester

D. Tone and probe kit

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 76

47. One of the technicians at your organization is researching various hardware for a new virtualization host. The host’s main purpose is to run multiple Linux server virtual machines simultaneously, with good performance for each VM. Which of the following will best ensure good performance?

A. Integrated GPU

B. Liquid cooling

C. Overclocking

D. x86

E. Multicore

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 76

48. During a mandatory server room inspection, it was found that a couple of server racks were not properly grounded. To pass the inspection and to protect equipment, you must make sure all racks are properly grounded. Which of the following tools should you use in this scenario?

A. Cable tester

B. Tone generator

C. Multimeter

D. Loopback plug

E. Voltmeter

F. SCADA

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 76

49. Which of the following does a laptop have that a tablet does not have?

A. Touchpad

B. Display

C. Keyboard

D. Wireless network adapter

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 77

50. At the beginning of the workday, a user informs you that her computer is not working. When you examine the computer, you notice that nothing is on the display. Which of the following should be done first?

A. Check whether the monitor is connected to the computer.

B. Check whether the monitor is on.

C. Check whether the computer is plugged in.

D. Reinstall the video driver.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 77

51. A customer reports that when his computer is turned on, the screen is blank except for some text and a flashing cursor. He also tells you that there are numbers counting upward when the computer beeps and then freezes. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this problem?

A. The computer has faulty memory.

B. There is a corrupt MBR.

C. The OS is corrupted.

D. The computer is attempting to boot off the network.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 77

52. A computer was working fine for weeks, but now it has suddenly stopped connecting to the Internet. You run the command ipconfig and see that the IP address the computer is using is 169.254.50.68. Which of the following statements describes the most likely issue?

A. The computer cannot access the DHCP server.

B. The computer cannot access the POP3 server.

C. The computer cannot access the DNS server.

D. The computer cannot access the AAA server.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 77

53. Which of the following could cause faded print on the paper outputted by a laser printer?

A. Transfer corona wire

B. Primary corona wire

C. Pickup rollers

D. Photosensitive drum

E. Fuser assembly

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 78

54. Mary installed a new sound card and speakers; however, she cannot get any sound from the speakers. Which of the following statements describe the most likely cause? (Select all that apply.)

A. The speaker power is not plugged in.

B. The sound card driver is not installed.

C. The sound card is plugged in to the wrong slot.

D. The speaker connector is in the wrong jack.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 78

55. A laptop with an integrated 802.11 WLAN card is unable to connect to any wireless networks. Just yesterday the laptop was able to connect to wireless networks. Which of the following statements describes the most likely cause?

A. The wireless card drivers are not installed.

B. The wireless card is disabled in BIOS.

C. The wireless card firmware requires an update.

D. The wireless hardware button is turned off.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 78

56. The IP address of example.com is 93.184.216.34. You can ping that IP address, but you cannot ping the name example.com. Which of the following statements describes the most likely cause?

A. example.com is down.

B. The DHCP server is down.

C. The DNS server is down.

D. The AD DS server is down.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 78

57. A newly built computer runs through the POST, but it doesn’t recognize the specific CPU that was just installed. Instead, it recognizes the CPU as a generic CPU. Which of the following is the first thing you should check?

A. Whether the CPU is seated properly

B. The version of the firmware for the motherboard

C. Whether it is the correct CPU for the motherboard

D. The version of Windows installed

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 79

58. Which of the following commands displays a network interface card’s MAC address?

A. ping

B. ipconfig /all

C. ipconfig

D. ipconfig /release

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 79

59. A customer reports that print jobs sent to a local printer are printing as blank pieces of paper. Which of the following can help you determine the cause?

A. Reload the printer drivers.

B. Stop and restart the print spooler.

C. Replace the printer cable.

D. Print an internal test page.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 79

60. Signal strength for a laptop’s wireless connection is low (yellow in color and only one bar). The laptop is on the first floor of a house. The wireless access point (WAP) is in the basement. Which of the following can improve signal strength? (Select the two best answers.)

A. Increase the signal strength from low to high.

B. Move the WAP from the basement to the first floor.

C. Download the latest driver for the NIC.

D. Download the latest BIOS/UEFI for the laptop.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 79

61. You are troubleshooting a computer that can’t communicate with other computers on the network. The ipconfig command shows an APIPA IP address (169.254.21.184). What is the most likely problem?

A. DNS resolution

B. Duplicate IP address

C. DHCP failure

D. Cleared ARP cache

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 80

62. Which of the following is the first thing you should check when a computer cannot get on the Internet?

A. NIC driver

B. Disk defrag

C. Patch cable

D. Firewall settings

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 80

63. You have just built a PC, and when it first boots, you hear some beep codes. If you don’t have the codes memorized, which of the following are the best devices to examine first? (Select the two best answers.)

A. RAM

B. Storage drive

C. Video card

D. CPU

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 80

64. A customer reports a problem with a PC located in the same room as cement testing equipment. The room appears to have adequate cooling. The PC will boot up but locks up after 5–10 minutes of use. After a lockup, it will not reboot immediately. Which the following statements best describes the most likely problem?

A. The PC has a virus.

B. The PC air intakes are clogged with cement dust.

C. The CPU heat sink is underrated for the CPU.

D. The power supply is underrated for the electrical load of the PC.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 80

65. A coworker needs to print to a printer from a laptop running Windows. The printer has USB and Ethernet connectors. Which of the following is the easiest way to connect the printer directly to the laptop?

A. Use the Thunderbolt port.

B. Use the network connection.

C. Use the USB connector.

D. Use the Ethernet connector.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 81

66. You have had several support requests related to a PC located in a school cafeteria kitchen that is experiencing problems. You have already reseated the PCIe and PCI cards and replaced the storage drive in the PC. Computers located in the business office or the classrooms have not had the same problem as the computer in the cafeteria. Which of the following is the most likely issue?

A. Excessive heat

B. Faulty RAM

C. 240 V outlets

D. Under-voltage events

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 81

67. A telecommuter complains that his network interface card (NIC) is not functioning and has no link lights. The user often works from home on a screened porch. The weather has been changing drastically over the past few days, and humidity and temperature have been rising and falling every day. Which of the following could be the direct cause of this problem? (Select the best answer.)

A. Thermal expansion and contraction

B. Thermal sublimation

C. Chip creep

D. POST errors

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 81

68. Which network type enables high-speed data communication and is the most difficult to eavesdrop on?

A. Satellite

B. DSL

C. Fiber optic

D. Cable

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 82

69. Which of the following properties of a heat sink has the greatest effect on heat dissipation?

A. Connection type

B. Shape

C. Surface area

D. Proximity to the power supply

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 82

70. A home customer wants to run several IoT devices, including a Wi-Fi thermostat, a doorbell camera, and a mobile robot. The customer has read articles that say many IoT devices are insecure out of the box. The customer is concerned and does not want smartphones or PCs to be “hacked.” What can you do to help in this situation? (Select the two best answers.)

A. Upgrade the firmware of the SOHO router.

B. Disable wireless access on the IoT devices.

C. Enable the SSID for the wireless network.

D. Place the IoT devices on a guest network.

E. Disable MAC filtering.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 82

71. Your boss can receive email but can’t seem to send email with the installed email client software. Which protocol is not configured properly?

A. SMTP

B. POP3

C. FTP

D. HTTPS

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 82

72. Which of the following technologies can be used for wireless payments? (Select the two best answers.)

A. RFID

B. Bluetooth

C. 5G

D. NFC

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 82

73. One of your customers is running Windows on a PC that has a 3.0-GHz CPU, 16-GB RAM, and an integrated video card. The customer tells you that performance is slow when editing video files. Which of the following solutions would increase performance on the computer?

A. Increasing system RAM

B. Upgrading the video card

C. Increasing the storage drive capacity

D. Upgrading the CPU

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 83

74. Which of the following are configured in the BIOS/UEFI? (Select the four best answers.)

A. Time and date

B. The registry

C. Boot sequence

D. Passwords

E. USB drivers

F. WOL

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 83

75. You want to test whether IPv4 and IPv6 are working properly on a computer. Which of the following commands should be issued?

A. ipconfig ::1 and ping ::1

B. ping 127.0.0.0 and ping :1

C. ping 127.0.0.1 and ping ::1

D. ipconfig 127.0.0.1 and ping 127::1

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 83

76. Which of the following is the typical latency of an SATA hard disk drive?

A. 600 MB/s

B. 10,000 RPM

C. 64 MB

D. 4.2 ms

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 83

77. The marketing printer in an organization has been used for four years. Which of the following is a best practice for ensuring that the printer remains in good working order?

A. You should clean the printer.

B. You should install a maintenance kit.

C. You should clear the counter.

D. You should print a test page.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 84

78. Your organization is planning a technology refresh on all mobile phones and PCs in the marketing department. A marketing manager is concerned that personal data on the smartphone, such as contacts, pictures, and videos, will be replaced. In an effort to save the data without compromising security, which of the following should be performed before a device is refreshed?

A. Synchronize the device to a flash drive at a remote location.

B. Synchronize the data across the network to a shared public folder.

C. Synchronize the data to a VM in the company’s data center.

D. Synchronize the device to a private cloud.

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 84

79. You are troubleshooting a computer that is no longer able to browse the Internet. The user says that the computer worked before he went on vacation. Now the user is able to navigate the local intranet but cannot connect to any outside sites. You ping a well-known website on the Internet by name, but you receive no replies. Then you ping the website’s IP address, and you do receive a reply. Which of the following commands will fix the problem?

A. ipconfig /flushdns

B. ipconfig /all

C. ipconfig /release

D. ipconfig /setclassid

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 84

80. Which of the following units is used to measure TDP?

A. Volts

B. Watts

C. Ohms

D. Amps

Quick Answer: 63

Detailed Answer: 85

Quick-Check Answer Key

1. C

2. A and E

3. A

4. C

5. D

6. C

7. B

8. A and E

9. C

10. B

11. C

12. A

13. C

14. A

15. D

16. A

17. C

18. B

19. D

20. D

21. C

22. D

23. C

24. C

25. C

26. B

27. C

28. B

29. A

30. D

31. A and E

32. D

33. A

34. A

35. C and D

36. B

37. C

38. D

39. A

40. D

41. A and D

42. D

43. D

44. C

45. A

46. B

47. E

48. C

49. A

50. B

51. A

52. A

53. D

54. A, B, and D

55. D

56. C

57. B

58. B

59. D

60. A and B

61. C

62. C

63. A and C

64. B

65. C

66. A

67. A

68. C

69. C

70. A and D

71. A

72. A and D

73. B

74. A, C, D, and F

75. C

76. D

77. B

78. D

79. A

80. B

Answers and Explanations

1. Answer: C

Explanation: A Domain Name System (DNS) server is responsible for resolving (or converting) hostnames and domain names to their corresponding IP addresses. To see this in action, open the command line and try connecting to a domain (such as dprocomputer.com) and run the command ping, tracert (or traceroute in Linux and macOS), nslookup, or dig (or all of those) against the domain name. These commands can supply you with the IP address of the host. Remember, it is important to practice in a hands-on manner on real computers to reinforce your knowledge!

Incorrect answers: A web server is in charge of storing websites and presenting them to users on the Internet or an intranet. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) servers are used to upload and download files. A proxy server facilitates web page caching for client computers. A syslog server is used to send out log file information of networking devices in real time to an administrator’s workstation for analysis. Know your server roles!

2. Answers: A and E

Explanation: Advantages of using DHCP include the following: IP addresses can be managed from a central location, and computers can automatically get new addressing when moved to a different network segment (perhaps one that uses a different DHCP server).

Incorrect answers: Quality of service (QoS) can be used to adjust the network speed based on the type of traffic generated. DHCP has nothing to do with the hosts.txt file, which contains static entries of hostname-to-IP address conversions. Media access control addresses are usually not changed on a network adapter, although they can be masked. MAC filtering maintains a list of MAC addresses that are allowed to access a network, but once again, this is a different concept from DHCP.

3. Answer: A

Explanation: Hard disk drives (HDDs) are magnetic disks and have moving parts. In contrast, solid-state drives (SSDs) have no moving parts.

Incorrect answers: Examples of optical drives include CD, DVD, and Blu-ray drives. Impact refers to a type of printer, such as a dot-matrix or daisywheel printer. A solid-state drive does not have a disk and therefore has no moving parts, is quiet, and works as fast as (if not faster than) a traditional magnetic hard drive. However, an SSD can be more expensive per byte than a magnetic-based hard disk drive.

4. Answer: C

Explanation: Use docking stations for the laptops in this scenario. A docking station stays at the user’s desk, and the laptop can be plugged, or “docked,” right into the station. Docking stations can provide security because they often have locking capability. They also have the ability to charge devices because they plug into an AC outlet. This makes it more convenient because a user doesn’t have to hunt for an AC outlet to plug a laptop into. Docking stations also provide access to corporate resources—often via an RJ45 connection. Finally, docking stations have multiple USB ports for hardware and peripheral connectivity. Companies such as Kensington and Lenovo offer docking stations. Keep in mind that a docking station has more functionality than a port replicator, which might only allow for additional USB and video ports.

Incorrect answers: Thunderbolt is not a device but rather a technology that can allow for video or data transmission; it is common in Apple computers. A USB hub is a device that simply allows for more USB ports. A USB hub can be passive or active, meaning that it can rely solely on the computer for power or can be connected to an AC outlet, respectively. Docking stations actually have the equivalent of a USB hub built in. A thin client is a basic computer that has a CPU, RAM, and sometimes a small SSD, with a “thin” (or small-footprint) operating system. It is meant to be a basic client on a network that allows for the download of virtual desktops. Using a cable lock is a good idea for securing laptops, but it won’t meet the customer’s connectivity requirements in this case.

5. Answer: D

Explanation: Paper-feed errors are often related to the pickup rollers, which are in charge of feeding the paper into the printer.

Incorrect answers: If a separation pad fails, it might cause more than one sheet of paper to be entered into the printer. The developing rollers transfer ink to the imaging drum. The paper tray simply holds the paper; it should not cause paper-feed errors unless the constraining tabs are too tight.

6. Answer: C

Explanation: Port 389 is the default port, and it is used by Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Port 636 is used for secure LDAP.

Incorrect answers: Port 25 is the default port for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Port 110 or 995 is used by POP3. Port 443 is used by HTTPS.

7. Answer: B

Explanation: Class 2 Bluetooth devices have a maximum range of approximately 10 meters. Class 2 devices (such as Bluetooth headsets) are the most common.

Incorrect answers: Class 1 has a 100-meter range, and Class 3’s range is approximately 1 meter. The maximum length of a standard USB 2.0 cable is 5 meters. USB 3.0 through 3.2 have lengths that range from 1 to 3 meters—but with varying results in terms of data transfer rate, latency, dropped frames, and so on. Note that twisted-pair cable such as Category 5e or Category 6 can also transmit data up to 100 meters (328 feet), but don’t confuse the two!

8. Answers: A and E

Explanation: 802.11a operates at 5 GHz only; so does 802.11ac. 802.11ac is also known as Wi-Fi 5.

Incorrect answers: 802.11b and g operate at 2.4 GHz. 802.11n operates at either 2.4 or 5 GHz. The IEEE 802.11 wireless standards are collectively known as 802.11x. Note that 802.11ax is a newer Wi-Fi standard that can work on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (known as Wi-Fi 6) as well as 6 GHz (known as Wi-Fi 6E).

9. Answer: C

Explanation: DDR4-2666 has a peak transfer rate of 21,333 MB/s. It runs at an I/O bus clock speed of 1333 MHz and can send 2666 megatransfers per second (MT/s). It is also known as PC4-21333.

The math: To figure out the data transfer rate of DDR4 from the name “DDR4-2666,” simply multiply the 2666 by 8 (bytes) and solve for megabytes: 21,333 MB/s. (If you are wondering how I got to that number, it is because the 2666 is actually 2666.66—repeating decimal.) To figure out the data transfer rate of DDR4 from the consumer name “PC4-21333,” just look at the number within the name and add “MB/s” to the end. To figure out the data transfer rate when given only the I/O bus clock speed (for example, 1333 MHz), multiply the clock speed by 2 and then multiply that number by 8 and solve for megabytes: 1333 MHz × 2 × 8 = 21,333 MB/s. However, keep in mind that a RAM module such as DDR4-2666 is often inaccurately referred to as a 2666-MHz RAM module when really that is the MT/s.

Incorrect answers: DDR4-2133 has a peak transfer rate of 17,066 MB/s; it is also known as PC4-17000. DDR4-2400 has a peak transfer rate of 19,200 MB/s; it is also known as PC4-19200. Be prepared for systems with DDR5 as well. A DDR5-4800 module has a peak transfer rate of 38,400 MB/s.

10. Answer: B

Explanation: An impact printer uses a printhead, ribbon, and tractor feed. An example of an impact printer is a dot matrix printer.

Incorrect answers: Laser printers are much more complex and use more parts than do impact printers. Inkjet printers use a printhead but use an ink cartridge instead of a ribbon and don’t use a tractor feed. Thermal printers use a printhead and a special heating element.

11. Answer: C

Explanation: The first thing you should try (of the listed answers) is to clear the print queue. How this is done will vary depending on the type of print server being used. For example, if the printer is being controlled by a Windows Server machine, that server will have the Print Management role installed. From the Print Management console window, you can access the printer in question and locate the queue. In most client Windows operating systems (such as Windows 10 or 11), you can find the queue simply by double-clicking the printer. Regardless of the OS, it is where you would normally go to manage print jobs. Then, after you have found the queue, delete any pending or stalled jobs. One of those print jobs might have been causing a delay, possibly if the print job was too big or was corrupted. Of course, you will have to notify users that any jobs as of x time frame have been deleted and will need to be printed again. On some printers, you can clear the print queue from the onscreen display (OSD) directly on the printer; an OSD is also known as an OCP (operator control panel). Or, if the print server is built into a SOHO router or similar device, you have to access it from a browser.

Incorrect answers: If at all possible, try to solve problems centrally, without getting users involved. Having the affected users restart their computers is probably a waste of time in this case. If only one user were affected, restarting could be a viable solution, but when multiple users are affected, the problem is more likely located centrally—at a server or a network device. You don’t even know if the printer is connected with a USB cable. It might be if it is connected directly to the server, but it could be wired to the network with a twisted-pair patch cable. Either way, cables don’t usually fail out of nowhere. This potential solution should be further down your list. Reinstalling the print drivers is not the best answer because several users were affected. Again, if only one user were affected, this might be a valid option, but if several were affected, the problem is probably more centralized.

12. Answer: A

Explanation: If the CPU is running beyond the recommended voltage range for extended periods of time, it can be a sign of a failing CPU. The problem could also be caused by overclocking. Check in the BIOS/UEFI to see whether the CPU is overclocked.

Incorrect answers: If the computer won’t boot at all, another problem might have occurred, or the CPU might have already failed. Low case temperatures are a good thing (if they aren’t below freezing!), and spyware is unrelated to this issue.

13. Answer: C

Explanation: Fiber-optic cable is the only answer listed that is not affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI). Fiber does not use copper wire or electricity but instead uses glass or plastic fibers and light.

Incorrect answers: Any copper cable is susceptible to EMI to a certain degree. Regular UTP cable such as Cat 5e or Cat 6 is very susceptible, coaxial slightly less, and shielded twisted pair (STP) even less than that. STP is difficult to install and must be grounded; because of this, it is found less commonly in networks. To truly protect against EMI, fiber optic is the best way to go. Special tools are typically used during installation to splice the fibers properly and test the connection effectively.

14. Answer: A

Explanation: Setting an admin password in the BIOS/UEFI prevents a user from rearranging the boot order. The idea behind this is to stop a person from attempting to boot off an optical disc or USB flash drive. As an administrator, you should change the BIOS/UEFI boot order to the bootable storage drive first (meaning the one with the operating system on it). Then apply an administrative password. That’ll stop ’em right in their tracks!

Incorrect answers: The administrator password does not prevent any of the other listed answers. To prevent a user from reading email, you would have to remove email applications (such as Outlook) and probably take away the browser, too (which doesn’t sound feasible). To prevent a virus from infecting the boot sector/MBR, you could turn on boot sector scanning in the BIOS/UEFI (if the motherboard supports it). To prevent an attacker from opening the case, use a case lock. To find out if someone attempted to physically get into the computer, turn on the chassis intrusion alert in the BIOS/UEFI.

15. Answer: D

Explanation: The external power supply of the laptop converts AC to DC for the system to use and for charging the battery. It is known as the power adapter, and it needs to run at a very specific voltage. In fact, power adapters of different makes and models usually do not work with different laptops, even if the voltages are only slightly different.

Incorrect answers: The adapter does not increase voltage. It also does not store power; that is the responsibility of the laptop battery. It is also accomplished by a UPS, though you probably wouldn’t lug one of those around with your laptop while traveling.

16. Answer: A

Explanation: Printer Command Language (PCL) drivers are used for general office applications: printing typical documents, spreadsheets, and so on. They are more commonly used than PostScript drivers.

Incorrect answers: PostScript drivers are used for professional graphics and presentations. They are designed for higher-end printers but can be supported by lesser models as well. Be sure to use the correct driver type for your work environment. ADF, which stands for automatic document feeder, refers to a wonderful contraption that allows you to scan, copy, or fax multiple page documents without having to feed each page individually. AirPrint is an Apple technology that helps you create full-quality printed output without the need to download or install drivers.

17. Answer: C

Explanation: Contrast ratio is the brightness of the brightest color (measured as white) compared to the darkest color (measured as black). Static contrast ratio measurements are static; they are performed as tests using a checkerboard pattern. But there is also the dynamic contrast ratio—a technology in LCD displays that adjusts dynamically during darker scenes in an attempt to give better black levels. It usually has a higher ratio, but it should be noted that there is no real uniform standard for measuring contrast ratio.

Incorrect answers: Power consumption deals with the number of watts that the display uses. Display resolution is the number of pixels on the screen, measured horizontally by vertically. Displays often have a brightness setting as well as a contrast setting. The brightness setting is used to increase or decrease the amount of light put out by the display. Power savings is another concept altogether and can be adjusted by enabling the power-saving features of the operating system, ultimately using fewer watts and conserving energy while increasing the life span of the display.

18. Answer: B

Explanation: Most antistatic straps come with a 1 megaohm resistor, which can protect against surges. However, the best way to avoid a surge is to (1) make sure the computer is unplugged before working on it, (2) avoid touching any components that hold a charge, and (3) stay away from live electricity sources. In other words, don’t open power supplies or CRT monitors; don’t touch capacitors on any circuit boards such as motherboards; and, of course, stay away from any other electrical devices, wires, and circuits when working on computers.

Incorrect answers: A Torx screwdriver is used to remove specialized screws from laptops and other mobile devices. A voltmeter (or a multimeter) is used to find out how many volts are being generated by a battery or are being cycled through an AC outlet. An antistatic mat is used to keep a computer and components at the same electrical potential as the person working on the computer.

19. Answer: D

Explanation: High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), as the word multimedia implies, can transmit video and audio signals. DisplayPort and USB-C can also transfer video and audio (and USB-C can also transfer data).

Incorrect answers: VGA, RGB, and DVI are video-only standards.

20. Answer: D

Explanation: A router can limit network broadcasts through segmentation and programmed routing of data. This is part of a router’s job when connecting two or more networks. It is also used with different media. For example, you might have a LAN that uses twisted-pair cable, but the router connects to the Internet via a fiber-optic connection. That one router will have ports for both types of connections.

Incorrect answers: A switch connects multiple computers on the LAN; it does not limit IP-based network broadcasts. However, the switch does not segment by IP address; it communicates with computers and segments the network via MAC addresses. Also, the switch normally uses one type of media—twisted pair—and connects to RJ45 ports. However, it is possible that a switch might connect to another switch by way of a specialized fiber-optic connector. A wireless access point (WAP) connects the computers on a wireless LAN (WLAN). It often has only one connection, a single RJ45 port. A hardware-based firewall usually connects to the network via RJ45; regardless, it has only one or only a few connections. It doesn’t deal with routing or broadcasts; instead, it prevents intrusion to a network.

21. Answer: C

Explanation: Of the listed answers, the best one is to implement single sign-on (SSO). With SSO, a user can type a single password and get access to multiple programs, systems, or networks. There are several open source and free options for SSO and federated identity management.

Incorrect answers: Setting up multifactor authentication (MFA) would require a second method of authentication. While this is a good idea in general, it is not a simple solution to the problem. Configuring biometric authentication is a possibility, but to work in connection with multiple corporate apps, it will probably require more work than simply enabling mobile device facial recognition. Plus, there could be a cost involved in using third-party software. In addition, some apps are not written to accept biometric authentication. Removing password complexity requirements would probably reduce the number of help desk tickets, but it would also be much less secure, which is not desirable in this scenario.

22. Answer: D

Explanation: The CPU could overheat if thermal paste (compound) has not been applied correctly (which is common) or if the CPU is not seated properly (which is rare).

Incorrect answers: As part of the boot process, power needs to be verified to the CPU. If the wrong voltage is running to the CPU, the system won’t even boot. If an incorrect CPU has been installed, the system will probably not boot, especially if the BIOS/UEFI doesn’t recognize it. Finally, the CPU doesn’t use a driver; instead, the BIOS/UEFI recognizes it (or doesn’t, if it needs a BIOS/UEFI update) and passes that information to the operating system.

23. Answer: C

Explanation: Of the answers listed, 172.17.58.254 is the only valid IPv4 address for a network host. A host on the network is any computer or network device that uses an IP address to communicate with other computers or devices. 172.17.58.254 is a class B private IP address, so it fits the description of a valid IPv4 address for a network host.

Incorrect answers: 127.0.0.1 is the IPv4 local loopback address. Every computer using TCP/IP gets this address, which is used for testing. This address cannot be used to communicate with other hosts on the network. 169.254.0.0/16 means the IP address 169.254.0.0 with the default subnet mask 255.255.0.0, indicating that the network number is 169.254; it is not a valid host IP address because it ends in 0.0. The first IP address of a network is always reserved for the network number; it cannot be used by a host. Otherwise, if the address were, say, 169.254.0.1, the address would work, but because it is an APIPA address, it would be able to communicate only with other systems using APIPA addresses. 255.10.15.7 is not valid. That address is within the class E reserved range. For normal host IP addresses, the first octet is either between 1 and 126 or between 128 and 223, but it cannot be between 224 and 255.

24. Answer: C

Explanation: Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is a module (or stick) of memory that you can install into a motherboard. DDR (for example, DDR4 and DDR5) and LPDDR are examples of DRAM.

Incorrect answers: A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) is a chip soldered onto the motherboard that works in conjunction with the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), another chip soldered onto the motherboard. Static RAM (SRAM) is memory that is nonvolatile (as opposed to DRAM); it is also soldered to the circuit board. Read-only memory (ROM) is usually not serviceable. The BIOS resides on a ROM chip—specifically on an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) chip.

25. Answer: C

Explanation: 172.31.1.1 is the only address listed that is private. It is within the class B range of private addresses: 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255.

Incorrect answers: 11.58.254.169 is not private because it is on the class A 11 network. The class A private range is within the 10.0.0.0 network. 169.255.10.41 is not private either. Microsoft’s APIPA, however, uses the 169.254.0.0 network, which is private. 192.169.0.1 is public because of the second octet: 169. The class C private range is 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255.

26. Answer: B

Explanation: The IPv6 loopback address used for testing is ::1. This determines if IPv6 is working correctly on the network card but does not generate network traffic. It exists on every computer that runs IPv6.

Incorrect answers: 127.0.0.1 is the IPv4 loopback address. 192.168.0.0 is simply a private IP network number. FE80::/10 is the link-local prefix—a range of auto-assigned addresses in IPv6.

27. Answer: C

Explanation: The only statement that is correct concerning IPv6 is that it uses 128-bit addresses. In contrast, IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses.

Incorrect answers: IPv6 and IPv4 can cohabit a computer with no problems. IPv6 is not necessarily supported by all routers. Some routers still support only IPv4. IPv6 is a logical concept. The physical cable that connects to the computer has no bearing on which IP version is used.

28. Answer: B

Explanation: This is an example of an A record (address record). An A record contains the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the host and the IPv4 address of that same host. In this case, they are server1.example.com and 10.0.0.1, respectively. In a normal DNS server, this record would also say A in the entry, telling you that it is an address record that resolves from name to IPv4 address.

Incorrect answers: An MX record means a mail exchange record, which deals with mail servers. An AAAA record is a name-to-IPv6 address record. A TXT record is informational (basic text).

29. Answer: A

Explanation: The impact printer technology is what you want. Such a printer strikes a ribbon and consequently the paper with a printhead. The physical hammering action causes the carbon backing to apply text to the next layer of paper. Multipart forms such as these are commonly used for receipts.

Incorrect answers: Laser printers can print to special multipart forms, but not ones with carbon backing. Inkjet and thermal printers are not usually used with multipart forms.

30. Answer: D

Explanation: You cannot install drivers to the BIOS/UEFI. Drivers are software that allows the operating system to communicate with hardware; they can be configured in Device Manager in Windows.

Incorrect answers: The rest of the answers can be configured in the BIOS/UEFI. The boot sequence (also known as boot priority or boot order) allows you to select which device will be booted off first. (The storage drive with OS is the most secure.) Temperature thresholds allow you to set alerts and possibly shut down the system if the CPU runs too hot. Overclocking occurs when the CPU’s voltage is raised and the speed is increased. Overclocking is not recommended, but if you do configure it, you should set temperature thresholds. Intrusion detection can be enabled and will log when a person opens the computer case.

31. Answers: A and E

Explanation: POP3 is a protocol used by email clients to receive email. It makes use of either port 110 (considered insecure) or port 995 (a default secure port).

Incorrect answers: SMTP is used by email clients to send email. It uses port 25 and the more secure port 587.

32. Answer: D

Explanation: To connect one computer to another directly by way of network adapter cards, use a crossover cable. (The category, such as 5e or 6, doesn’t matter.) A crossover cable is designed to connect like devices. It is wired as T568B on one end and T568A on the other. Those standards are ratified by the Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries Alliance (TIA/EIA).

Incorrect answers: A regular (and more common) Cat 6 patch cable is known as a straight-through cable. It is used to connect unlike devices, such as a computer to a switch. Normally, it is wired with the 568B standard on each end. A parallel cable might be used to connect an older printer to a computer or an external hard drive to a SCSI card. Rolled cable is a less commonly used term for a cable that administrators use to connect from a serial port on a PC to a console port on a router. Its proper name is a null-modem cable, but it might also be referred to as a rollover cable or a console cable.

33. Answer: A

Explanation: Network installations require that the network card be configured for Preboot Execution Environment (PXE). This allows the network card to boot off the network, locate a network installation server, and request that the installation begin. This configuration might be done in the BIOS/UEFI of the computer (if the network adapter is integrated into the motherboard), within a special program in Windows, or in a program that boots from disc or other removable media (if the network adapter is an adapter card).

Incorrect answers: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is an expansion bus that accepts video cards, network adapter cards, sound cards, and so on. PCL, which stands for Printer Command Language, was developed by HP so that a computer can properly communicate with impact or thermal printers. PnP, which stands for plug and play, is a Windows technology that allows devices to be located and installed automatically.

34. Answer: A

Explanation: The CPU is the least likely component to be replaced. You would probably need to replace other equipment, too, in this case. Just like PCs, though, the CPU should rarely fail.

Incorrect answers: You might upgrade, replace, or add to RAM. M.2 cards are internal cards that can be added or upgraded to incorporate better video or WLAN and Bluetooth. Laptop keyboards fall victim to spilled coffee, overuse, and other damage over time and sometimes need to be replaced.

35. Answers: C and D

Explanation: 1000 Mbps is 1000 megabits per second, which can also be notated as 1,000,000,000 bits per second or 1 gigabit per second.

Incorrect answers: Data transfer is measured in bits per second (bps), not bits per minute. Consequently, 1000 bits per second would be very slow. At their peak, dial-up modems would transfer 56,000 bits per second, and that is considered the slowest Internet access you could find in the United States.

36. Answer: B

Explanation: Single-mode fiber-optic cable can send data up to hundreds of kilometers, which is farther than any of the other answers.

Incorrect answers: Multi-mode fiber-optic cable can send data about 600 meters. STP is a type of twisted pair; all twisted pair is limited to 100 meters, or 328 feet. Coaxial cable is limited to 200 or 500 meters, depending on the type.

37. Answer: C

Explanation: You should install a USB add-on card. This will give you more ports than the computer already has for use with peripherals. Another option—and a more common option at that—would be to purchase a USB hub.

Incorrect answers: Modems, network adapters, and TV tuner cards all have their own purposes and do not allow additional peripherals.

38. Answer: D

Explanation: A typical speed of a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) is 7200 revolutions per minute (RPM). Other common speeds include 5400 RPM, 10,000 RPM, and 15,000 RPM. Note that a solid-state drive (SSD) does not have a magnetic disk and therefore is not given an RPM rating or a latency rating.

Incorrect answers: A common network data transfer rate is 1000 Mbps. SATA drives commonly have a DTR of 6 Gb/s (600 MB/s). Note that 3.1 GHz is a common CPU frequency, and 32 GB might be the amount of RAM you install in a computer or the size of a USB flash drive.

39. Answer: A

Explanation: A switch interconnects devices on the same network so that they can communicate, whereas a router interconnects one or more networks.

Incorrect answers: All the other answers are incorrect. Remember that a switch is in charge of connecting devices on a LAN, but a router is in charge of connecting a LAN to another LAN, to the Internet, or to both. Multifunction network devices make matters confusing; they combine the functionality of a switch, a router, a wireless access point, and a firewall. Physically, the four-port section of such a device is the switch portion, and the single port that leads to the Internet is the router portion.

40. Answer: D

Explanation: In a large corporation (or an enterprise environment), tape backup such as Linear Tape-Open (LTO) or Digital Linear Tape (DLT) is the best media for backing up. These tapes can contain lots of data before they fill up. For example, an LTO 5 data cartridge can contain 5 TB of data. Also, LTO tapes are much more durable than USB flash drives.

Incorrect answers: LTO and DLT tapes have large capacity, allowing for a huge amount of backup compared to DVDs and dual-layer DVDs (4.7–17 GB) and USB flash drives (typically 32 to 512 GB as of the writing of this book). USB flash drives are not known for longevity; tape backup is more durable. While RAID 5 can contain a lot of data, it is an expensive proposition for a backup solution. Generally, backups are made to tape rather than to storage drives.

41. Answers: A and D

Explanation: The organization will most likely use a local area network (LAN) for each office and a metropolitan area network (MAN) to connect the three networks. The LANs meet the requirements for each office’s internal communications. Most LANs operate at 1 Gbps or faster. The MAN meets the requirement for the connection between the offices within the city. A MAN is the right choice because it can harness the power of fiber-optic cables and other technologies that already exist in the city limits and can provide for 1 Gbps or more throughput.

Incorrect answers: A personal area network (PAN) is a group of Bluetooth devices that communicate with each other. A wide area network (WAN) connects multiple LANs but usually over longer distances—often between cities. Also, a WAN does not typically have as much data throughput as a MAN. A storage area network (SAN) is a group of storage arrays, network-attached storage (NAS) devices, and so on. It could be that the offices might use one, but just having a SAN does not meet the throughput requirements; plus, a SAN can be within a LAN, cross over to a MAN, or move beyond to a WAN, so it is somewhat vague when considering the scenario. A wireless local area network (WLAN) might be incorporated as well, but as of the writing of this book (2022), you’d be hard-pressed to get it to meet the 1 Gbps data throughput requirement for all computers.

42. Answer: D

Explanation: VMware is an example of virtualization software. Actually, VMware is the company, and it makes a multitude of software, including virtualization software such as VMware Workstation (type 1 hypervisor) and VMware ESXi (type 2 hypervisor).

Incorrect answers: VDI stands for virtual desktop infrastructure. It’s a technology by which operating system desktops can be delivered to PCs, laptops, and thin clients over the network. VMware also happens to make VDI software. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a type of cloud model that allows a company to use the cloud to host networking infrastructure, routing, and VM hosting (which includes various types of virtualization software). In metered utilization, the provider monitors the services rendered so that the provider can properly bill the customer and make sure that the customer’s use of services is being handled in the most efficient way.

43. Answer: D

Explanation: Smartphones typically use Secure Digital (SD) cards—especially microSD cards.

Incorrect answers: SSD stands for solid-state drive. This technology is implemented as flash-based drives or as adapter cards with DDR memory and a battery. NVMe drives are high-performance drives used in PCs and laptops. USB flash drives don’t fit inside a typical smartphone and so are relegated to hanging on people’s key chains and acting as mobile transporters of data.

44. Answer: C

Explanation: The motherboard in the desktop computer will have to have at least four RAM slots that can work as a quad-channel configuration—meaning all four memory modules can work together, creating a 256-bit memory bus.

Incorrect answers: Double Data Rate (DDR) is the technology that most memory modules use today (for example, DDR4 or DDR5). Small outline dual inline memory module (SODIMM) technology is used in laptops, not in desktops. Error correcting code (ECC), which is used to detect and correct errors in memory, is more common in servers than in desktop computers.

45. Answer: A

Explanation: In this case, you should most likely replace the toner cartridge. Faded lines usually mean that something is wrong with the toner cartridge (or, if separate, the transfer drum). Also replace the toner cartridge if there is faded print, streaks, smearing, or speckling. Know the main steps of the laser printer imaging process: processing, charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fusing, and cleaning. For example, in the charging step, the drum is conditioned/charged by the primary corona wire (negatively charging it) and is prepared for writing. In the transferring step, the paper is positively charged by the transfer corona wire, preparing it to accept the toner from the drum. In the fusing step, the toner is fused to the paper with heat and pressure. In the cleaning step (the last step), the receptacle, rollers, and other items are cleaned and readied for the next print job.

Incorrect answers: If there were a firmware issue, you would probably have more severe errors in printing, or you might not get any printing at all. “Replace the corona wire” is somewhat vague. Which corona wire—the charging wire or the transferring wire? Either way, it is more likely that you would simply replace the toner cartridge or the transfer drum and not actually replace any “wires.” In today’s modern workplace, you will usually not refill any type of cartridge; however, an incorrect answer is “ink cartridge,” which implies an inkjet printer, whereas the printer in the scenario is a laser printer.

46. Answer: B

Explanation: When testing the main 24-pin ATX power connector that leads from the power supply to the motherboard, use a power supply unit (PSU) tester or a multimeter. The multimeter can test each individual wire’s voltage, and the PSU tester can test them all in one shot.

Incorrect answers: A Torx screwdriver is used to open computers and laptops that have special Torx screws; T-10 is a common size. A receptacle tester is used to test an AC outlet, and multimeters can be used for that as well. A tone and probe kit is used to test telephone and network connections for continuity. However, it can test only one pair of the wires in the cable. For better results when testing network cables, use a proper network cable testing kit. Testing tools are a key ingredient in a computer technician’s toolkit.

47. Answer: E

Explanation: Be sure that the virtualization host has multiple cores. A good rule of thumb is to use two cores per Linux VM, but that will vary depending on the scenario. So, for example, if you are going to run three Linux VMs, you would want six cores for those VMs. Don’t forget that you will need at least a couple of cores for the hosting OS. That means that the host should have a multicore CPU with at least eight cores. Note that it’s also important to have enough RAM for each VM. In the case of Linux, at least 1 to 2 GB of RAM is required.

Incorrect answers: An integrated GPU is probably not necessary here because you are running virtual machines (and as Linux servers, they will most likely be command line only). Liquid cooling and overclocking are okay for gaming computers and other enthusiast performance systems, but they are not commonly used for virtualization hosts at an organization. x86 refers to a 32-bit CPU architecture that can access only 4 GB of RAM. That is an old technology that you want to avoid; instead use a system with a newer x64 (x86-64) CPU.

48. Answer: C

Explanation: Use a multimeter to verify that the server racks are properly grounded. You need to check the resistance of the grounding wire that attaches from the server rack(s) to a grounding source. To do that, set the multimeter to impedance (Ω). A multimeter can usually verify voltage, amperage, and impedance (and possibly more).

Incorrect answers: A cable tester (or cable certifier) is used to check the continuity of the individual wires in a twisted-pair cable. A tone generator is used to find an individual cable among a group or bundle of cables. A loopback plug is a device used to test the network connectivity of a PC or switch RJ45 port. A voltmeter only checks voltage and does not check for resistance. SCADA, which stands for supervisory control and data acquisition, is a control system that offers high-level management of machines and processes.

49. Answer: A

Explanation: A tablet does not have a touchpad; instead, you use your finger(s) or a stylus to tap on the display (known as a touchscreen).

Incorrect answers: A tablet has a display and a wireless network adapter. It also has an onscreen keyboard. The question does not specify physical or virtual keyboard. Be ready for vagaries like this on the A+ exam.

50. Answer: B

Explanation: When troubleshooting a computer system, always look for the most likely and simplest solutions first. The fact that the user might not have turned on her monitor when she first came in is a likely scenario.

Incorrect answers: If the monitor is on, you can move on down the troubleshooting list. Next, you could check whether the computer is on, whether the computer and monitor are plugged into the AC outlet, and whether the monitor is plugged into the computer. Reinstalling the video driver is much further down the list.

51. Answer: A

Explanation: Chances are that the computer has faulty memory or a memory module that needs to be reseated properly. The flashing cursor on the screen tells you that the system is not posting properly. The numbers counting up are the system checking the RAM. If the system beeps and freezes during this count-up, there is an issue with the RAM. (Note that, depending on the system and how the BIOS/UEFI is configured, you might not see the POST counting upward.) It could also be incompatible with the motherboard.

Incorrect answers: A corrupt MBR would either give a message stating “missing OS” or “the MBR is corrupt.” However, most systems today are GPT based, not MBR based, so you won’t often see these types of boot sector issues. If the OS is corrupted, you get a message to that effect. If the computer attempts to boot off the network, you see gray text and a spinning pipe sign as the machine attempts to find a DHCP server.

52. Answer: A

Explanation: If you get any address that starts with 169.254, the computer has self-assigned that address. It is known as an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address, which is a type of link-local address. Normally, DHCP servers do not use this network number. Using the commands ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew might fix the problem if a DHCP server is actually available.

Incorrect answers: The POP3 server is for incoming mail. The DNS server is for resolving domain names to IP addresses. AAA means authentication, authorization, and accounting. An example of an AAA server would be a RADIUS server used for wireless authentication.

53. Answer: D

Explanation: Faded print, ghosted images, or blurry marks could be a sign that the drum has some kind of imperfection or is dirty, especially if the image reappears at equal intervals. Replace the toner cartridge (or, less commonly, the drum only). Another possibility is that the fuser assembly has been damaged and needs to be replaced.

Incorrect answers: Blank pages might indicate a problem with the transfer corona wire or primary corona wire; if this is the issue, replace the toner cartridge. Stuck pages, jams, or problems with feeding the paper could be due to the pickup rollers. If the fuser assembly is having problems, you might encounter toner not fusing to the paper, or the paper that exits the printer may be too hot.

54. Answers: A, B, and D

Explanation: Always make sure that the speaker power cord (if any) is plugged into an AC outlet and that the speakers are turned on (if they have a power button). When a sound card is first installed, Windows should recognize it and either install a driver through plug and play or ask for driver media. For best results, use the manufacturer’s driver, the latest of which you can find on its website. Make sure that you plug the speakers into the correct 1/8-inch jack. The speaker out is the one with concentric circles and an arrow pointing out. Or you might have 5.1 (or 7.1) surround sound; in this case, you would use the standard front speaker jack, which is often a green jack.

Incorrect answers: It’s quite hard to plug a sound card into the wrong slot. For example, if you have a PCI Express (PCIe) x1 sound card (a common standard), you can plug that sound card into any of the available PCIe slots on your motherboard, and it will be recognized. (Word to the wise: If you ever remove the sound card when upgrading other components, make sure you put it back in the same slot.) PCIe cards will not fit in the older PCI slot, though you will rarely use that type of slot anyway.

55. Answer: D

Explanation: The wireless hardware button is disabled. Always check whether Wi-Fi is enabled. Often this occurs via a key that shares one of the function keys of a laptop. To enable it, press the Fn key and the appropriate function key (such as F12) at the same time. If Wi-Fi is already enabled, make sure that the wireless adapter is enabled in Windows. Also, check whether the laptop is within range of the wireless access point.

Incorrect answers: The drivers and the firmware should not be an issue because the laptop was able to connect yesterday. However, you never know what might have happened, so check those later on in your troubleshooting process.

56. Answer: C

Explanation: The purpose of a DNS server is to resolve (convert) hostnames and domain names to IP addresses. Computers normally communicate via IP addresses, but it is easier for humans to type in names. If example.com is down, you cannot ping the corresponding IP address at all.

Incorrect answers: If the DHCP server is down, your workstation will probably not have an IP address on the network and will not ping the corresponding IP address. AD DS stands for Active Directory Domain Services, which is a domain controller and doesn’t have much to do with this scenario except that in many smaller companies, the domain controller and DNS server are one and the same.

57. Answer: B

Explanation: You must have the correct firmware to recognize the latest CPUs. A BIOS/UEFI flash can fix many problems related to unidentified hardware.

Incorrect answers: If the CPU is not seated properly or if you have an incorrect CPU, the system simply won’t boot. Windows does not affect the POST at all. In some cases, you might purchase a motherboard that says it can support a specific new processor. However, there might not yet be firmware to actually work with that processor.

58. Answer: B

Explanation: ipconfig /all shows a lot of information, including the MAC address, as well as the DNS server, DHCP information, and more.

Incorrect answers: Plain old ipconfig shows only the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway address. ping tests whether other computers are alive on the network. ipconfig/release is used to troubleshoot DHCP-obtained IP addresses and is often used in conjunction with ipconfig/renew.

59. Answer: D

Explanation: First, try printing an internal test page (that is, from the printer’s onscreen display). If that doesn’t work, you need to start troubleshooting the printer. Perhaps the toner cartridge is empty, or maybe a corona wire is malfunctioning.

Incorrect answers: If the test page prints fine, you can check the printer drivers and other settings at the computer that uses the printer. Restarting the spooler should not help in this situation. If the spooler stalled, no paper should come out of the printer. Likewise, the printer cable should not have to be replaced.

60. Answers: A and B

Explanation: The easiest and (probably) cheapest way is to move the WAP. Basements are usually the worst place for access points because of concrete foundations and walls, electrical interference, and so on. Many WAPs come with the ability to change the signal level. Typically the device will have low, mid, and high options. Boosting the power to the wireless signal can also fix the problem. External signal boosters might also work, but often the cost of a signal booster is the same as the cost of buying a newer, more powerful WAP.

Incorrect answers: Unfortunately, new drivers and firmware usually do not help the situation. It’s possible that a new driver can make better use of the wireless network adapter hardware, but it won’t necessarily offer a better connection. It’s a good idea in any event, but it’s not one of the best answers listed.

61. Answer: C

Explanation: The most likely issue is a DHCP failure. Link-local IP addresses such as APIPA on 169.254.0.0 usually kick in when the client computer cannot locate a DHCP server. There are several possible reasons this might happen: lack of network connectivity, incorrect client configuration, DHCP server failure, and so on. The best way to troubleshoot this situation would be to start at the client and check its network cable (or wireless connection) and then its TCP/IP configuration. You could also try configuring a static IP address on the client to see if it allows the client to communicate over the network. If those things don’t solve the problem or give you any clues, you can look at the network switch, DHCP server, and so on.

Incorrect answers: DNS resolution has to do with translation between hostnames and IP addresses. No hostnames are a part of this scenario; you are troubleshooting at the IP level. Duplicate IP addresses happen when two computers are statically configured with the same IP address; they are uncommon (if not rare) in DHCP environments or when APIPA is involved. Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is responsible for converting IP addresses to MAC addresses. The ARP cache is built off the current IP address and the IP and MAC addresses of other computers. Clearing the cache won’t solve the problem, but it won’t make things any worse either. However, you might consider clearing the ARP cache after the problem is fixed; you might also restart the computer.

62. Answer: C

Explanation: The simplest solution is often the most common. Check cables and see whether the power is on for your devices and computers.

Incorrect answers: After checking cables and power, you can check the driver (for example, within Device Manager in Windows) and check the firewall settings. Whether a hard disk drive (HDD) is fragmented should not affect the Internet connection.

63. Answers: A and C

Explanation: It is common for a RAM stick or video card to be unseated. These are the most common culprits of beep codes during the POST.

Incorrect answers: If the CPU is not installed properly, you might not get any beep codes at all. The storage drive’s functionality has little bearing on the POST unless it does not have a bootable OS.

64. Answer: B

Explanation: The PC air intakes are probably clogged with cement dust. This would stop fresh, cool air from entering the PC and would cause the CPU to overheat. That would explain why the system doesn’t reboot immediately and the CPU needs some time to cool down. You should install a filter in front of the PC air intake and instruct the customer to clean the filter often. While you are working on the computer, you should clean out the inside of the system and vacuum out the exhaust of the power supply (without opening the power supply, of course).

Incorrect answers: If the PC had a virus, that might cause it to lock up or shut down, but you would be able to reboot the computer right away. Plus, there would probably be other indicators of a virus. The CPU heat sink could be an issue and could cause the same results, but this scenario is less likely. Companies often buy computers from popular manufacturers such as Dell and HP; these computer manufacturers spend a lot of time designing their heat sink/fan combinations to work with the CPU. If the power supply were underrated, it would cause intermittent shutdowns but not lockups. Nothing in the scenario would lead you to believe that the computer uses enough powerful components to make the power supply underrated.

65. Answer: C

Explanation: Use the USB connector. This is by far the easiest method. Windows will sense the USB connection and attempt to install the print driver automatically (though you should still install the latest proper driver from the printer manufacturer’s website).

Incorrect answers: Yes, the printer has an Ethernet connection as well (that is the network connection), but using it will require you to connect it to the network. What if there is no network? And even if there is, the printer would have to be configured for the network, and then the laptop would have to connect to the printer over the network. If the laptop is the only system that will use the printer, connecting via USB is much easier than connecting via Ethernet. Thunderbolt often uses Mini DisplayPort for the transmission of data or video, especially (but not exclusively) on Apple computers. Though Thunderbolt can be used for printing, the scenario doesn’t state that the laptop has a Thunderbolt port.

66. Answer: A

Explanation: Excessive heat is the most likely cause of the problem. This could be an unfortunate result of proximity to ovens and other equipment. Computers in environments such as these are often prone to dirt collecting inside the CPU fans and other devices inside the case.

Incorrect answers: Faulty RAM wouldn’t cause storage drives to fail or unseat expansion cards. The cards probably moved around due to thermal expansion and contraction. You are most likely going to find 240-volt outlets in this environment, but the computer shouldn’t use those; in the United States, the computer should be connected to a 120-volt outlet. The computer should be changed to 240 V only if it is brought to another country—such as a country in Europe. Under-voltage events (brownouts) could cause failures of the power supply and maybe even the storage drive, but they would not cause the adapter cards to be unseated.

67. Answer: A

Explanation: Thermal expansion and contraction happen when humidity changes quickly. It can lead to what some technicians refer to as “chip creep” or “card creep.”

Incorrect answers: Although there might have been chip creep, the direct cause of the problem was most likely thermal expansion/contraction. POST errors would not be the cause of the error, but in some cases could give you diagnostic information leading to the cause. Thermal sublimation refers to a specific type of printing process and is not involved in the problem. While in the computer, you might want to check other adapter cards to determine whether they were also affected by this phenomenon.

68. Answer: C

Explanation: Fiber-optic networks use fiber-optic cables that have a core of plastic or glass fibers. They are much more difficult to eavesdrop on than any copper cable.

Incorrect answers: Satellite connections and cable Internet use RG-6. DSL uses a standard phone line or other twisted-pair cable. These other options are copper based.

69. Answer: C

Explanation: The surface area of the heat sink has the greatest effect on heat dispersion. The more solid the bond between the heat sink and CPU cap, the better the transition of heat out of the CPU. To aid in this transition, you must use thermal compound.

Incorrect answers: The other answers have little or nothing to do with heat dispersion. The shape of the heat sink is somewhat important, but most CPUs have the same shape. The key is to get the appropriate heat sink for the type of CPU you are using.

70. Answers: A and D

Explanation: You should upgrade the firmware of the SOHO router and place the IoT devices on a guest network. By upgrading the firmware on the router, you update the system to the latest security protocols, making the system more difficult to breach. By placing the IoT devices on a guest network (or screened subnet/DMZ), you separate those devices from the main devices in the home, creating an extra level of defense from attack. Then, for an attacker who does gain access to an IoT device, it will be difficult to gain access to the main portion of the network.

Incorrect answers: Disabling wireless access on IoT devices will make them non-functional—and the whole point of many IoT devices is to allow for easy wireless connectivity. Enabling the SSID makes it visible to scans—and less secure. To make a Wi-Fi network more secure, disable the SSID after the devices have been connected. Disabled MAC filtering is the default state of most SOHO routers. To increase security, enable MAC filtering or IP filtering.

71. Answer: A

Explanation: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is not configured properly. This is the protocol that is used to send mail.

Incorrect answers: POP3 receives email. FTP enables two computers to upload and download files. HTTPS is a protocol used in web browsers for surfing the Internet and accessing web servers.

72. Answers: A and D

Explanation: Near-field communication (NFC) and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies can be used in contactless payment processing. NFC is commonly used by mobile devices with mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless cards. Some credit cards can be “tapped” to pay. Many of these have tiny RFID chips inside them that allow for this functionality.

Incorrect answers: Bluetooth is a technology for connecting wireless peripherals to mobile devices over short distances (for example, 10 meters). It uses public frequencies to transmit data. 5G is a type of cellular technology for sending data and making voice calls on mobile devices.

73. Answer: B

Explanation: The only solution listed is to upgrade the video card. This is the main way that computer performance can be increased while editing video files.

Incorrect answers: The CPU and RAM can make the system faster when dealing with applications and calculations of many kinds, but when it comes to video editing and rendering, an integrated video card is inadequate. No matter how much RAM you add or what CPU you put in, the video will still perform like an actor on a late, late, late movie—badly. Increasing the storage drive capacity will have no effect on video but can definitely help in other areas of system performance, such as with pagefile access and general data access.

74. Answers: A, C, D, and F

Explanation: The time/date, boot priority (boot sequence), passwords, and Wake-on-LAN (WOL) can all be configured in the BIOS/UEFI.

Incorrect answers: The registry and USB drivers are configured in the operating system—which in this case would be Windows because macOS and Linux don’t use a registry.

75. Answer: C

Explanation: To test IPv4, use the command ping 127.0.0.1. To test IPv6, use the command ping ::1.

Incorrect answers: You don’t run ipconfig commands to particular IP addresses. The commands ping :1 or ping 127::1 are not valid.

76. Answer: D

Explanation: The typical latency of an SATA magnetic-based hard disk drive is 4.2 ms (milliseconds). When you are dealing with magnetic drives, latency is the delay in time before a particular sector on the platter can be read. It is directly linked to rotational speed. For example, a hard disk drive with a rotational speed of 7200 RPM has an average latency of 4.2 ms.

Incorrect answers: Note that 600 MB/s is the data transfer rate of an SATA revision 3.0 hard drive; it is also expressed as 6.0 Gb/s. 10,000 RPM is the rotational speed of a drive, and 64 MB is a common amount of cache memory on a hard drive (usually DRAM).

77. Answer: B

Explanation: A maintenance kit includes a new fuser assembly, rollers, and more. Installing a maintenance kit is like changing a car’s oil (although it typically isn’t done as often).

Incorrect answers: Cleaning the printer might not be necessary. If you have a toner spill or work in a dirty environment, cleaning it might be a good idea. Clearing the counter is something you might do on an inkjet printer; this process clears the counter indicating how much ink goes through the cartridge. Printing a test page is important when first installing a printer and when you finish installing a maintenance kit.

78. Answer: D

Explanation: The marketing manager (or the technician) should synchronize the device to a private cloud. This will ensure that the data can be restored later, after the refresh. It also ensures that the process will be done with a certain level of security. A private cloud is a cloud the company uses that is not used by other parties. It is a more secure cloud option.

Incorrect answers: Synchronizing to a flash drive is not secure as the device could easily be lost or stolen. “At a remote location” is somewhat ambiguous. Regardless, it should not be done at any location. Synchronizing data to a shared public folder is very insecure because other users will be able to see and access that data. In most cases, the marketing manager should not have access to a VM in the company’s data center. However, the private cloud could actually use resources in the organization’s data center.

79. Answer: A

Explanation: You should run ipconfig /flushdns in an attempt to fix the problem. The problem could be that the DNS cache on the client computer is outdated and cannot associate Internet domain names with their corresponding IP addresses. So you run ipconfig /flushdns and potentially ipconfig /registerdns (or restart the computer) to fix the problem. That clears the DNS cache of name resolutions and forces the client to request new DNS information from a DNS server either on the Internet or within the company.

Incorrect answers: ipconfig /all shows in-depth information about the network adapter’s TCP/IP configuration. If there is an incorrect DNS server configuration, this information will help you identify it but won’t help to solve the problem. ipconfig /release is used to remove a DHCP-obtained IP address from a network adapter. (ipconfig /renew is often run afterward to get a new IP address.) ipconfig /setclassid is a potential solution because it allows for an additional set of DHCP options for each class ID, including gateway address, DNS server address, and so on. These options are often set at the DHCP server, and you would need to know the class ID number to use. However, it is unlikely from this scenario that the class ID was ever changed. Due to the time the user was away from the computer (on vacation), it is more likely that the DNS cache needs to be purged.

80. Answer: B

Explanation: The thermal design power (TDP) of a CPU is measured in watts. For example, a typical Core i7 CPU might be rated at 140 watts or less. The lower the wattage rating, the less the computer’s cooling system needs to dissipate heat generated by the CPU.

Incorrect answers: Volts is the measurement used for potential energy; it is a measurement commonly associated with internal PC components running at 5- or 12-volt DC and with typical household and business AC outlets running at 120 volts or 240 volts. Ohms is the measurement used for impedance, or the resistance to electricity. Amps is the measurement for electric current. A typical computer might use 4 amps of current if it has a 500-watt power supply.