The lowest voltage version of DDR3 is __________ .
> The older PATA drives send data in parallel; current ___________ drives send data in serial.
> A _____________ form factor drive installs into a special slot on motherboards.
> A ___________ offers substantial performance benefits over an HDD.
> Traditional hard drives run at a set __________ , measured in RPM.
> __________ features both nesting and striping and requires at least four drives.
> Traditional hard drives with spinning metal disks are known as ____________ .
> The ___________ utility is useful for purging your system of unnecessary temporary files.
> The ability to split voltage supplies into separate __________ ensures that no device will hog all of the available power.
> Be sure the __________ rating for your power supply is greater than the minimum required by all devices in the computer.
> The ____________ provides the basic cooling for the PC.
> The measurement unit for the amount of electrons flowing past a certain point on a wire is ____________ .
> Be sure your surge suppressor has a ________ rating of at least 2000.
> An ATX form factor power supply attaches to the motherboard with a __________ and a P4 connector, and supplies 5 V to the motherboard at all times.
> If the _________ are left off the expansion slots, the computer may overheat.
> The electric company provides ____________ power that the power supply converts to ___________ for use by the computer components.
> A spare part that a tech typically carries to replace a failed component in the field is called a ___________ .
> The old floppy drive used the _________ from the power supply.
> Only a single ____________ may be set to active on one drive.
> A phenomenon known as ___________ caused great damage to early motherboards as the result of incorrectly formulated electronic components that store and release energy.
> You can add features to a system by adding a device to an ____________ .
> The motherboard mounts to the case via small connectors called ___________ that slide into keyed slots or screw into the bottom of the case.
> The _____________ is your primary source for all of the critical information about the motherboard.
> The most popular expansion bus in use today, with speeds up to 16 GBps, is ____________ .
> The most common small non-ATX motherboard form factor is _____________ .
> The smallest common ATX motherboard form factor is the ____________ .
> The _________ determines the physical size of the motherboard as well as the general location of components and ports.
> Microsoft truly wants your computer to work, so they provide an excellent and rigorous testing program for hardware manufacturers called the _______________ .
> The __________ defines the type of processor and RAM required for the motherboard and determines to a degree the built-in devices supported by a motherboard, including the expansion slots.
> A logical drive must be created inside a __________________ .
> The low-energy chip that holds configuration information and keeps track of date and time is called the _______________ chip.
> A ____________ enables a PC to boot to an OS stored on a server over a network.
> The hundreds of programs in the system ROM chip are collectively called the __________ .
> Unlike RAM, which loses all data when the computer is shut down, a ROM chip is _______ , retaining the information even when the power is off.
> You can reprogram a _________ chip without removing the chip.
> If a disk contains the operating system files necessary to start the computer, it is called a __________ .
> The combination of a specific Northbridge and a specific __________ is collectively referred to as the ________ .
> If the computer appears dead, with no beeps or screen responses, you can insert a _________ in an expansion slot to diagnose what is wrong.
> Used in modern systems, ________________ supports file systems that enable booting to drives larger than 2.2 TB, supports 32-bit or 64-bit booting, and handles all boot-loading duties.
> Loaded when the system boots, a _____________ is a file that contains instructions to support a hardware device.
> The ___________________ partitioning scheme enables you to create more than four primary partitions without needing to use dynamic disks.
> _____________ uses a portion of the HDD or SSD as an extension of your physical RAM.
> Systems automatically detect new RAM by polling the module’s ____________ chip.
> The time lag between when the memory controller starts to fetch a line of data from RAM and when the RAM actually starts to deliver the data is known as ____________ .
> Unlike regular DRAM, _________________ enables error checking and correcting.
> A ______________ is an interruption the CPU cannot ignore.
> Memory that makes two data accesses during each clock tick is called _____________ .
> A special kind of memory stick for laptops is called a ___________ .
> If the LED for your hard drive stays on most of the time, your computer is suffering from ___________ , a sure sign you need to add more memory.
> Memory chips are soldered to a small circuit board called a _________ or a __________ .
> The Windows tool that attempts to fix invalid filenames, erases lost clusters, and seals off bad clusters is called _________ (or chkdsk).
> In a process known as ___________ , a CPU can slow itself down in low-demand times or if it gets too hot.
> If a stock heat-sink and fan assembly can’t handle an overclocked CPU, a solution based on _________ might do the trick.
> A CPU with a _________________ can handle RAM directly.
> Divided into L1, L2, and L3, the __________ consists of a small amount of __________ that serves as a holding area. This provides data to the CPU faster than getting it from regular memory or when RAM is unavailable because of refreshes.
> Areas inside the CPU where it temporarily stores internal commands and data while it is processing them are called ____________ .
> Computers use the ___________ numbering system.
> Computers use _____________ for main system memory.
> By lifting the arm on the ________________ you can easily remove a PGA CPU.
> Use of the _________ technology enables a processor to protect certain sections of memory.
> All of the machine language commands that the CPU understands make up the CPU’s ______ .
> On modern versions of Windows, the best file system to choose is ______________ .
> ____________ enables you to set up hard drives, manage devices, test system performance, and much more.
> The __________ enables a tech to perform most of the maintenance, upgrade, and configuration aspects of Windows.
> You can use __________ in Windows 8.1 to access files and folders.
> The _________ utility in Mac OS X enables you to switch easily among applications, windows, and Spaces.
> Move the cursor to the top or bottom right corner of the screen in Windows 8 to access one of the tools called a ________ .
> Windows 8’s tile-based interface is called the Metro/Modern UI or __________ .
> You can access frequently used applications in Mac OS X by clicking their icons on the ________ .
> Computers work through three basic stages, what’s called the ___________ .
> You can access the ___________ tool from the permanent Apple menu to administer a Mac.
> The term _________ refers to the software parts of the operating system with which you can interact.
> Instead of using a FAT, NTFS uses a _________ with a backup copy placed in the middle of the disk for better security.
> Once you have determined the problem with the machine and come up with probable causes, you should __________ .
> A customer complains that he can hear music coming from his computer speakers, even though the computer is not playing any music. This is most likely caused by ______________ .
> To begin troubleshooting a computer problem, start by talking to the customer and allowing the customer to explain the problem fully. Actively listen; then ask follow-up questions. This process is called ______________ .
> A magnetic field interfering with electronics is _______________ .
> You should avoid learning _________to other folks’ computers so you don’t get blamed if something happens to those computers.
> Accomplished computer techs should treat anything said to them as a personal confidence, not to be repeated to coworkers or bosses. A tech brings _________ to the job.
> An effective use of ________________ means clearly stating a problem without accusing the user of creating that problem.
> A few screwdrivers and an antistatic wrist strap should be in your__________.
> Once you have successfully repaired the machine, it is important to _________ with the user that everything is working correctly.
> Always place an expansion card or other computer part into a ___________ when it’s not in use to protect against electrostatic discharge.
> If a file is not stored in contiguous clusters, you can improve hard drive performance by using a tool to __________ the drive.
> A grouping of computers that enables people to share resources is called a(n) __________________.
> Typically, techs who attain CompTIA A+ certification then pursue __________________ to add to their computer credentials.
> You can find the latest information about the CompTIA A+ certification exams here: __________________.
> Persons desiring to work in Windows-based networking should pursue __________________ certification after completing their CompTIA certifications.
> You can use a __________________ when you schedule your exam to save some money.
> The __________________ company administers the CompTIA A+ certification exams.
> A term for a person who builds and maintains computers is __________________.
> A(n) __________________ gives clients and employers a level of confidence that you can do what you say you can do.
> You become CompTIA A+ certified by passing the __________________ and CompTIA A+ 220-902 exams.
> 1. What is the default file system in Windows? A. exFAT B. ext4 C. HFS+ D. NTFS 2. What is the default file system in Mac OS X? A. exFAT B. ext4 C. HFS+ D. NTFS 3. What is the default file system in most current Linux distros? A. exFAT B. ext4 C. HFS+
> 1. Jane replaced two 5400-RPM drives with a pair of 10,000-RPM drives, but now her system crashes under heavy use. What can she do to address this problem? A. Install drive bay fans to cool the new drives. B. Enable AHCI in the CMOS setup utility. C. Ena
> 1. Which of the following ATX12V features was introduced as part of the EPS12V standard? A. The P4 motherboard power connector B. Voltage rails C. The 6-pin AUX connector D. Soft power 2. Which kind of fire extinguisher should you use for computer equip
> 1. Which of the following are part of the ATX form factor? A. Mini-ITX B. macroATX C. microATX D. picoATX 2. Which of the following form factors dominates the PC market? A. AT B. ATX C. Mini-ITX D. Pico-ITX 3. Which of the following slots features seri
> 1. A user calls first thing Monday morning saying she has an error message at boot-up that says her case was opened. She’s looked at the computer, but it seems normal. What does this tell you about her computer? A. Her computer has TPM enabled in the CMO
> 1. How does an NMI manifest on a Mac OS X system? A. Blue Screen of Death B. Pinwheel of death C. Interrupt of death D. NMIs only happen on Windows systems. 2. Silas has an AMD-based motherboard with two sticks of DDR2 RAM installed in two of the three
> 1. What device enables a PC to retrieve a specific row of data from system memory and place it on the external data bus? A. Advanced micro device B. Arithmetic logic unit C. Floating point processor D. Memory controller chip 2. Which of the following st
> 1. What is the standard main screen/user interface used in all versions of Windows? A. Control Panel B. Dock C. Taskbar D. Desktop 2. How do you open an application in Windows? A. Left-click its icon. B. Right-click its icon. C. Left double-click its ic
