Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?” Quizzes and Troubleshooting Scenarios
Chapter 2
1. A, B, C, D. The essential computer components listed here are a motherboard (no motherboard means no computer), a CPU or processor (the brain of the computer), memory, and video output (by means of a video card or a video port integrated into the motherboard).
2. A, B, C. You might find all of the listed devices on either the front or back of a computer. Some, such as a USB port, are on both front and back.
3. A, B, C, D. An overheated processor can shut down the computer or cause an unrecoverable error. A loose video card causes a blank display. Hard drive failure results in a non-bootable operating system. And if the additional memory is incompatible with the original memory or the motherboard, it could stop the computer from booting.
4. A, B, C, D. Even though some people still use Windows 98 on their computers, it is not considered a major player among the operating systems of today.
5. A, C. Use CHKDSK and Disk Defragmenter to help prevent your computer from possible hard drive failure. Keeping your hard drive defragmented is a very important part of maintaining a computer.
6. A. When installing a new PCI card, the first thing you should do is shut down the computer and unplug the system. You should always make sure there is no power going into the system to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD).
7. A. You should look at the system manual before opening the case. Make sure that you are not voiding the service warranty or violating any other service terms by opening the computer case yourself.
8. A, D. Wearing an antistatic wrist strap is highly recommended when working on the inside of the computer. If you do not have one you can touch the unpainted part of the computer before touching the components.
9. C. The floppy drive uses a 34-pin cable that has a twist at one end. This end of the cable connects to the floppy drive (A:) drive. The middle connector is used for B: drive (if it’s present; it’s not supported on some machines).
10. D. Turn the thumbscrews so they are completely retracted. If they are not completely retracted, the VGA cable might not make a proper connection with the video card.
11. A, B, C, D. Every device needs its own set of hardware resources or needs to have the ability to share IRQs.
12. A. The process of bypassing the CPU is called Direct Memory Access (DMA). DMA transfers can be done in two ways. For example, some DMA transfers (such as those done by tape backup drives or by PCI cards using bus-mastering) do not require a particular DMA channel. Other devices, such as popular ISA sound cards and the ECP mode of the parallel port, require that we select an unused DMA channel.
Chapter 3
1. A, B, C, E. The motherboard is essential to computer operation in large part because of the two major buses it contains: the system bus and the I/O bus. Together, these buses carry all the information between the different parts of the computer.
2. A, C. Motherboards use expansion slots to provide support for additional I/O devices and high-speed video/graphics cards. The most common expansion slots on recent systems include PCI, AGP, and PCI-Express (also known as PCIe). Some systems also feature AMR or CNR slots for specific purposes.
3. A, B, C, D. SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) is a more flexible drive interface than PATA (ATA/IDE) because it can accommodate many devices that are not hard disk drives. Devices are high performance hard drives, image scanners, and removable media, as well as laser printers and CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives.
4. A, B, C. The ATX family of motherboards has dominated desktop computer designs since the late 1990s. ATX stands for Advanced Technology Extended, and it replaced the AT and Baby-AT form factors developed in the mid 1980s for the IBM PC AT and its rivals. The ATX family includes Mini-ATX and FlexATX.
5. G. Motherboards in both the ATX and BTX families feature a variety of integrated I/O ports, including serial, parallel, USB, PS/2, audio, and Ethernet. These are found in as many as three locations. All motherboards feature a rear port cluster, and many motherboards also have additional ports on the top of the motherboard that are routed to header cables that are accessible from the front and rear of the system.
6. D. The Pentium III processor was the last Intel processor produced in both a slot-based and socket-based design. Slot-based versions use Slot 1, the same slot design used by the Pentium II and slot-based Celeron processors. Socketed versions use Socket 370, which is mechanically the same as the socket used by the first socketed Celeron processors. However, some early Socket 370 motherboards are not electrically compatible with the Pentium III.
7. A. AMD’s first dual-core processor was the Athlon 64 X2, which uses a design that permits both processor cores to communicate directly with each other, rather than using the North Bridge (Memory Controller Hub) as in the Intel Pentium D.
8. B. Hyperthreading is a technology developed by Intel for processing two execution threads simultaneously within a single processor. Essentially, when HT Technology is enabled in the system BIOS and the processor is running a multithreaded application, the processor is emulating two physical processors.
9. C. If the processor has a removable heat sink, fan, or thermal duct that is attached to the motherboard, you must remove these components before you can remove the processor.
10. E. A system that overheats will stop operating, and with some older processors, serious damage can result. Most processors today are fitted with active heat sinks that contain a fan. If the fan stops working, an overheated processor follows.
11. A, C. Heat sink fans don’t have to stop turning to fail; if they turn more slowly than they are specified to run, they can cause processor overheating. So keep them clean. If the heat sink is incorrect for the processor model or if the heat sink is not attached correctly, it can also cause overheating.
12. D. After installing a sound card, you must connect 1/8-inch mini-jack cables from speakers and the microphone to the sound card. Most sound cards use the same PC99 color coding standards for audio hardware that are used by onboard audio solutions.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have recently purchased a 500GB storage device. You plug it in to your system and nothing happens. What could be the cause of the problem, and how would you correct this?
Answer: In this case you should verify whether the port you have plugged into has been disabled in the system BIOS configuration. If it will not connect, try enabling the port and retry the device.
Chapter 4
1. B. CMOS memory, also referred to as non-volatile memory, is used to store BIOS settings and should not be confused with system memory (RAM). CMOS stands for complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor.
2. A. If the CMOS battery fails it will lose all information, such as time/date, CPU information, and drive types.
3. A. Most motherboards use either a function key, the delete key, or a combination of keys to enter the BIOS setup program. Which key you use depends on the manufacture of the motherboard. F2 is a common key when entering the BIOS, as are F1, F10, and Delete. The F8 key is not used by BIOS programs; it is used by the Windows Advanced Options Boot menu when accessing options such as Safe Mode.
4. A, B, C. Many BIOS versions enable you to automatically configure your system with a choice of these options from the main menu.
5. D. Usually, you do not have access to the mouse when you are configuring the BIOS setup. You must use the keyboard.
6. A, B, C, D, E. The type and speed of the processor, amount of RAM, amount of cache memory, and the details of the BIOS program can all be viewed from within BIOS setup. Feature settings refers to the ability to configure various features of the operating system.
7. A, D. When accessing the BIOS advanced settings, some of the features available are quick boot, which will skip memory and drive test to enable faster startups, and also protection against boot sector viruses.
8. C. The Hardware Monitor screen (sometimes referred to as PC Health) is a common feature in most recent systems. It helps you make sure that your computer’s temperature and voltage conditions are at safe levels for your computer, and it sometimes also includes the Chassis Intrusion feature.
9. E. Security features of various types are scattered around the typical system BIOS dialogs. All of the features listed can be used to secure your computer systems from hackers or unauthorized personnel.
10. B, C. When you are in the BIOS and are not planning on making any changes, be sure to click Discard Changes after clicking ESC to prevent accidental changes.
11. B. Each and every time you start your computer it goes through a test known as POST or power-on self test. If the BIOS finds any errors with the system, it notifies you by error messages known as beep codes.
12. A, C. Beep codes are used by most BIOS versions to indicate either a fatal error or a serious error. A fatal error is an error that is so serious that the computer cannot continue the boot process. A fatal error includes a problem with the CPU, the POST ROM, the system timer, or memory. Serious error beep codes report a problem with your video display card or circuit. Although systems can boot without video, you do not want to boot without video because you can’t see what the system is doing.
13. A. Sometimes the BIOS does not support newer technologies. When making changes to the systems, such as adding a faster CPU or a larger SATA or PATA drive, you might need to update the BIOS.
14. C. When it is time for a BIOS update, go to the manufacturer’s website to see if a new update has been released. Flashing the BIOS is the act of erasing all of the BIOS’s current contents and writing a new BIOS to the BIOS chip. You can do this by booting off of a special floppy disk, from CD-ROM, and from within Windows. This process in now much easier than it used to be, but to be safe you should still backup your BIOS settings before performing this task
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have just started up your computer. It gives off a series of loud beeps and will not boot. What would you need to do to determine what the beeps mean and how to fix the problem?
Answer: First you will need to determine who the manufacturer of the motherboard or the particular BIOS is. Then you should go to the website and download the manual for the motherboard or a copy of the beep codes for the BIOS. Reboot the computer and count the beeps and compare with the chart. It could be as easy as re-seating the RAM memory modules, or it could be a video problem.
Chapter 5
1. A, C. To keep your power supply up and running and to help prevent damage from power surges, you should use a surge protector. The UPS will supply power for a short period of time to the computer system in case of total power outage.
2. C. Power supplies are rated in watts, and the more watts a power supply provides, the more devices it can safely power.
3. D. Most newer computers have 500 watt or larger power supplies in them because of the greater number of drives and expansion cards that are available now.
4. A, C. Standard North American power is 115 volts and European power is 230 volts. Some power supplies have a slider on the back to switch between the two voltages.
5. D. All of the listed reasons can cause damage to the power supply as well as overheating your computer.
6. A. Most of the newer power supplies in use today have 24 pins. Older motherboards have a 20-pin connection.
7. D. All of the listed answers are correct. You must disconnect from the wall first, then once inside the computer unhook the connection to the motherboard.
8. A, B. The wire coils inside the power supply retain potentially fatal voltage levels. To prevent shock you should not disassemble them or stick in a metal object such as a screwdriver.
9. B. A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) will keep a standard desktop up and running in case of a complete power outage.
10. D. UPSs are designed to supply power to a computer long enough for you to complete a formal shutdown.
11. A, C, D. When a SPS is used there is a momentary gap, usually about 1ms or less, between when the power goes off and when the SPS starts supplying power. SPSs are also less expensive and are not used at all times.
12. A, B, C, D. When turning on a system that shows no signs of life you must consider all of these as potential problems.
13. A, C. All processors require a heat sink. A heat sink is a finned metal device that radiates heat away from the processor. An active heat sink (a heat sink with a fan) is required for adequate processor cooling on current systems. Some older systems used a specially designed duct to direct airflow over a processor with a passive heat sink (a heat sink without a fan). Most motherboards’ northbridges use passive heat sinks.
14. A. Thermal compound (also known as thermal transfer material, thermal grease, or phase change material) provides for the best possible thermal transfer between a component (for example a CPU) and its heat sink. This prevents CPU damage. The fan and adapter cards should not have thermal compound applied to them. As a side note, most northbridges do not have fans.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are working on a computer that is overheating. What steps should you take to make sure the power supply is not being overloaded?
Answer: First you should get out a calculator and add up the wattage ratings for everything that is connected to your power supply. If the wattage exceeds 70% you should upgrade your power supply to a larger one. Refer to Table 5-2, “Calculating Power Supply Requirements,” for more information.
Chapter 6
1. C. Random access memory (RAM) loses its contents when the computer shuts down. Hard disk drives, USB flash drives, and read-only memory (ROM) are designed to retain their contents even if they are not receiving power.
2. B. SRAM or Static RAM is bulkier and more expensive than DRAM because it does not require electricity as often as DRAM
3. D. Rambus memory that uses 32-bit RIMMs must use pairs, and unused sockets must be occupied by a continuity module.
4. B. SDRAM was the first memory type that was in sync with the motherboard’s memory bus.
5. A, C. These two methods have an additional memory chip added for parity.
6. A. Unbuffered memory is used in most desktop computers sold in the market. This kind of memory is also used in some servers and workstations.
7. A. ECC memory enables the system to correct single-bit errors and notify you of larger errors.
8. A, B, C. To correctly insert the memory modules, you should follow all the steps listed. You might also have to use a fair amount of pressure to securely lock these modules in place.
9. B. Overclocking is the process in which you can set the speeds of the CPU or memory to run at a faster rate than normal. It can lead to overheating and system crashes.
10. A, D. The two types of metal that are used as contacts on SIMMs are gold and tin. Placing gold sockets in a tin socket and vice versa are most likely to see corrosion and eventual system lockups.
11. D. CheckIT, AMIDiag, and RAMExam can all be used to test memory.
12. D. All of these can be done to help prevent any memory issues, such as overheating.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are asked to help a user overclock his system memory. What should you tell him?
Answer: Tell him no. Overclocking can cause the components to overheat and the system to crash. You should also tell him that overclocking could damage the hardware and could also void the warranty.
Chapter 7
1. A, B. High-performance hard drives, image scanners, removable-media drives—such as Zip, Jaz, and Castlewood Orb—and other devices use SCSI interfaces.
2. A, C. When using the daisy-chain method each device must have a unique ID number and needs to be terminated to prevent device slowdowns.
3. B. A PC’s serial ports are usually called COM ports. Serial ports can also be used to connect docking stations and digital cameras.
4. B. A parallel port can be used to hook up all the items listed in the question. Most motherboards still come with this port even though USB is much faster and more popular.
5. C. FireWire is Apple Inc.’s brand name for the IEEE 1394 standard. IEEE 1394 is a family of high-speed, bidirectional, serial transmission ports that can connect PCs to each other, digital devices to PCs, or digital devices to each other.
6. D. In some ATX/BTX port clusters, the bottom PS/2 port is used for keyboards, and the top PS/2 port is used for mice and pointing devices. On systems and devices that use the standard PC99 color coding for ports, PS/2 keyboard ports (and cable ends) are purple, and PS/2 mouse ports (and cable ends) are green.
7. B. The 1/8-inch audio mini-jack is used by sound cards and motherboard-integrated sound for speakers, microphone, and line-in jacks. Also, to avoid confusion, most recent systems have color-coded jacks.
8. A, D. USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 are the two standards for USB ports. USB 2.0 is the newer and faster of the two.
9. A, B, C. If you need more ports for USB devices your options are motherboard connectors, USB hubs, and add-on cards.
10. D. The keyboard remains the primary method used to send commands to the computer and enter data. There are many shortcuts that can take the place of actions that would be otherwise accomplished with the mouse, for example Ctrl+X is cut, Ctrl+C is copy, and so on. You can even use it to maneuver around the Windows Desktop if your mouse or other pointing device stops working.
11. A. Touch screen monitors enable the user to transfer data into the computer by pressing on-screen icons. Touch screen monitors are very popular in public-access and point-of-sale installations.
12. D. All listed devices are considered multimedia devices. The webcam, sound card, and microphone give you the ability to make Internet phone calls, for example.
13. C, D. The mini-jacks for the speaker and microphone are identical in shape and are not always color coded. If you plug the speaker in to the wrong jack you will hear nothing from the sound card.
14. C. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector is by far the most common keyboard and mouse connector in today’s computers. Unlike older DIN or Mini-Din jacks you do not have to turn off the PC’s power to connect the keyboard. To install a USB keyboard you just plug it in to an empty USB port. Most of the newer computers only have USB ports. PS/2 ports have become very rare on new computers.
15. A, B, C. These are mostly simple causes that can occur. You will also want to make sure that you never plug a PS/2 keyboard in while the power is on. It could destroy the motherboard.
16. C. When more than one USB device is not recognized by Windows, one possible reason is that the USB ports have not been enabled in the BIOS program. Disabling the device in Windows only makes Windows ignore the device regardless of what you do in the BIOS, thus making the problem worse. Reinstalling the driver could be a possible solution if only one USB device is malfunctioning or is not recognized properly by Windows. Flashing the BIOS isn’t necessary in a scenario like this and is definitely not the first thing to check.
17. A, B, C, D. All of the listed solutions are correct. You open the back cover and remove the ball. Then you shake it out to remove any dust. You can also wipe out the rollers and then put the ball back in and close the mouse.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have been asked about a printing issue on a specific computer. You have looked in the Windows Control Panel Printers and Faxes folder and determined that the printer is installed correctly. What procedure would you use to try to fix the problem?
Answer: After determining that the printer is installed correctly, check the cable. If the cable is damaged it will either not print or print out garbage. Try replacing the cable with a cable that you know to be working and try again.
Chapter 8
1. A, B, D. Currently, video cards use the following bus types: PCI, AGP, and the newer PCI Express.
2. A, C, D. Cooling can be provided through passive heat sinks or through cooling fans and fan shrouds. Passive heat sinks on older video cards typically cover only the graphics processing unit (GPU), but newer ones provide cooling for both the GPU and memory. Video cards with passive heat sinks are good choices for home theater PCs, such as those running Windows XP Media Center Edition, because these PCs need to run as quietly as possible. The material used to transfer heat between heat sinks and cooling fans is known as thermal paste or phase-change material, not thermal glue.
3. A, B, D. With the addition of the plug and play BIOS, most of the time you will be able to skip the BIOS configuration. But some cards might not be recognized and you must configure the BIOS manually.
4. B. Without the device driver installed, you will not be able to use all the features that come with it. Most of the time you get an install disk when you purchase a new card.
5. A, B, C. The three main types of display devices in use today are LCD monitors (the most common), CRT monitors, and data projectors.
6. A, B, C. VGA, DMI, and HDMI are the three main types of connectors you will be dealing with. You can also use S-Video for a connection.
7. C. The DVI port is the current standard for digital LCD monitors. The DVI port comes in two forms: DVI-D supports only digital signals and is found on digital LCD displays. DVI-I provides both digital and analog output and supports the use of a VGA/DVI-I adapter for use with analog displays.
8. B. Right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Properties opens the Display Properties window. Select the Settings tab to modify the display resolution.
9. A. The three steps listed are all ways to install a monitor; however if you have a monitor that your video card does not support, you must either get another cable or a new video card that supports the cable you have.
10. C. Most of the time if you see the colors flickering on the monitor, you can turn off the monitor and the system, tighten the cable, and restart the computer.
11. D. When installing a new monitor it might not accept the current settings, so using the buttons on the front of the monitor, you can adjust your picture size.
12. A, B, C, D, E, F. It is recommended that you use all of the solutions listed to help prevent problems with your monitor as well as with you video card.
Troubleshooting Scenario
Your client is experiencing problems with the display on his monitor. He informs you that the screen is blurry and will not provide a display over 800 by 600. What would you tell the client to try?
Answer: First you would want your client to find out what kind of video card he is using. You should then tell your client to check whether he has the correct driver installed by going into the device manager.
Chapter 9
1. B. To assist in saving space, laptops without a numeric keypad use the Fn key to perform tasks.
2. D. Generally, portable systems have only one or two connectors for additional memory. Older portable systems might use proprietary memory modules, whereas recent systems use SODIMMs (a reduced-size version of a DIMM module).
3. B. Smaller form factors for laptop and portable systems use 2.5-inch or 1.8-inch hard disks, instead of the 3.5-inch hard disks found in desktop computers; also, laptop and portable systems use slim line optical drives, rather than half-height drives that are used in desktop computers.
4. A. A docking station expands the capability of a portable computer by adding features such as expansion slots and I/O ports. Examples of expansion slots include PCMCIA and Express Card. Examples of I/O ports include serial, parallel, VGA, component video, SPDIF digital audio, and USB 2.0.
5. D. Laptop and portable computers don’t use the PCI, AGP, or PCI Express expansion slots designed for desktop computers, but feature expansion slots especially designed for portable use. Examples of PCMCIA cards are wireless cards or NIC cards.
6. A, B, C. The stylus, keyboard, and mouse are all examples of input devices. They can be used to enter data on to a computer.
7. C. Processor throttling is a feature of recent processors from both Intel and AMD. Some processors also reduce the front side bus speed during time periods when processor loads are light.
8. A, B, C, D. All of the listed technologies are installed on most of the newer laptops available in today’s market.
9. B. The built-in touch pad is the most common mouse equivalent used in laptops. Some laptops might also use a pointing stick (for example, Lenovo ThinkPads) or other technologies instead of or in addition to the touch pad.
10. D. To configure user alerts and automatic actions to take when the system reaches low or critical battery power levels, use the Alarms tab of the Power Options Properties window in Windows XP. The Advanced tab configures actions the computer will perform when the lid is closed or the power or sleep buttons are pressed. The Power Schemes tab controls how long the system is idle before the monitor and hard disks are turned off or the system goes into standby or hibernation modes. The Suspend tab does not exist.
11. C. The Windows Wireless Zero Configuration can automatically locate wireless networks and start a connection. Ethernet is a type of network and can be wired or wireless (though most people will refer to Ethernet as a wired network). The Bluetooth devices applet in the Control Panel enables the user to configure Bluetooth devices such as a Bluetooth Anycom networking device, or a Bluetooth printer. WPA2 is a type of encryption used in wireless networks.
12. A, D. Look for an ejector button next to the PC Card slot. On some systems, the button is folded into the unit for storage. Unfold the button and remove any connected cables or dongles from the card.
13. A. When troubleshooting power problems, use a multimeter to check to see if the outlet is working properly. Make sure the multimeter is set for DC power.
14. D. An overheated system might quit, display STOP errors (also known as Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD), or throttle down the processor to very low clock speeds. Overheating can be caused by a blocked cooling fan outlet, cooling fan failure, or damage to the heat sink.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have been asked to change out the hard drive in a laptop computer. The laptop is a small compact model. How would you change the hard drive without removing the keyboard?
Answer: Most laptops in use today have an easier access method in place for hard drives:
Step 1. Turn off the laptop.
Step 2. Unplug the AC power.
Step 3. Remove the battery.
Step 4. Remove the four screws that hold the drive cover in place on the bottom of the laptop. You will then have easy access to remove the hard drive. Remove the drive.
Step 5. Install the replacement drive and screw in the drive cover.
Step 6. Restore the original system or install a new operating system to the new hard drive. If whole disk encryption was used on the original drive, be sure to use it on the new drive.
Chapter 10
1. A. A smart card contains user information and when used with a pin number to secure workstations gives you better security.
2. B. Biometrics is a technology that can use fingerprints, voice, and retina scans as an authentication method.
3. D. All of the listed products can help in the prevention of viruses, malware, and phishing scams. These need to be turned on and kept up to date to be effective.
4. C. A software firewall is a program that examines data packets on a network to determine whether to forward them to their destination or block them. Firewalls can be used to protect against inbound threats only (one-way firewall) or against both unauthorized inbound and outbound traffic.
5. A, B, D. The three standards are WEP, WPA, and WPA2. All are used to encrypt data on wireless networks.
6. D. All wireless routers come with default SSID names, and passwords. You should change these, and hide the SSID name, to prevent a hacker from looking up the information about what type of WAP you are using.
7. B. Windows Vista, XP, and 2000 have a built in encryption protocol called the Encrypting File System. Once applied, it can only be accessed by the user who created it and administrator or the EFS key holders.
8. C. Windows Vista Ultimate and Enterprise include the option to use BitLocker Drive Encryption, which can encrypt an entire hard disk drive without a user’s knowledge.
9. A. Social engineering is a simple and very easy way to get information from someone inside a company. By simply calling on the phone and pretending to be someone else, they can get information that should not be given out. Training users is the best way to prevent this kind of attack
10. B. User Account Control (UAC) is a security component of Windows Vista that keeps every user (beside the actual Administrator account) in standard user mode instead of as an administrator with full administrative rights even if they are a member of the administrators group.
11. D. If the BIOS setup program is protected by a password and the password is lost, you can clear the password on most desktop systems by using the BIOS clear jumper on the motherboard or by removing the battery for several seconds.
12. C. After configuring a WAP or wireless router to provide WEP, WPA, or (preferably) WPA2 encryption, you must configure wireless clients with the same encryption information. You can set up clients manually or automatically. Note that each wireless client connecting to a WAP or wireless router must use the same encryption standard and passphrase and specify the SSID used by the WAP or wireless router.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are called to a customer’s computer. She is complaining of pop-up messages redirecting her to undesired websites. You must fix this problem as soon as possible. What would you need to do to get the computer back up and running?
Answer: First you would determine what operating system the client is using. If she is using Windows Vista or XP SP2, you can run Windows Defender to clean the obvious malware (Windows Defender is not included in Windows XP by default but can be downloaded from Microsoft’s website). You can also use a third-party software program to remove the spyware from the computer. After the problem is resolved, be sure to install an anti-malware product to the computer. This will help to prevent the problem from happening again.
Chapter 11
1. A, D. The essential difference between a laser and an LED printer is in the imaging device. The laser printer uses a laser to transfer the image to the drum, whereas an LED printer uses an LED array to perform the same task. Otherwise, these technologies are practically identical.
2. B. If you try to print a page to a laser printer that requires more memory than the laser printer contains, the laser printer tries to print the page but stops after the printer’s memory is full. The printer displays an error message or blinks error status lights, at which point you must manually eject the page. Only a portion of the page is printed.
3. C. Generally, printer drivers provided by the printer vendor offer more configuration options and utilities for cleaning and maintenance than the drivers provided by Microsoft.
4. A. To determine the firmware revision installed in a printer, use its self-test function to make a test printout. Firmware can be implemented in a flash-upgradeable chip built into the printer, or in a special memory module sometimes called a “personality” module.
5. A, B, C. A laser printer (and its close relative, an LED printer) is an example of a page printer. A page printer does not start printing until the entire page is received. At that point, the page is transferred to the print mechanism, which pulls the paper through the printer as the page is transferred from the printer to the paper.
6. B, C. Interface types used by printers and scanners include USB and parallel. USB 2.0 is used by most inkjet, dye-sublimation, thermal, and laser printers, either when connected directly to a PC or connected to a network via a print server. The parallel interface works for older inkjet and laser printers.
7. B. To add support for Ethernet local area networking to a printer that does not have built-in networking capability, connect it to an Ethernet print server. Print servers are available in versions that support USB or parallel printers and enable the printer to be accessed via the print server’s IP address.
8. C. The easiest way to assure compatibility for a device is to visit the vendor’s website and look for the drivers for that device. Get the driver you need for your device and your operating system, and you’re ready to continue.
9. A. You can find the print spool settings in computer management. You select Services and Applications, Services and then scroll down to the print spooler, right-click it, and go to Properties.
10. C. Most recent printers with upgradeable memory use the DIMM memory module form factor, but printers do not use the same types of DIMMs as desktop or laptop computers.
11. B, C, D. By printing or scanning a test page you might be able to discern what is causing the problem with the device. Being able to identify symptoms, such as slow printing, can help you speed up the time that it takes to troubleshoot. If your device has an LCD display, it probably came with error codes that can save you some time.
12. B. The first step in printing is that an application program in the computer sends a print request to the Windows operating system, which relays the command to the printer. It will then send it to the queue and proceed with the other steps.
13. D. To add support for the Bluetooth short-range wireless network to a printer with a USB 2.0 port without built-in Bluetooth capabilities, connect a Bluetooth printer adapter. Note that the best results are usually obtained when the adapter is made especially for your printer.
14. A, D. You should install the drivers provided by the vendor, either from the CD that is packaged with the device or by downloading the latest version from the manufacturer’s website.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have just purchased a new printer. You have set up the printer where it needs to be. Once you have completed the setup and try to print a test page, you notice that the page is unreadable. What process should you complete to correct the problem?
Answer: Most of the time, when a test page is unreadable there is a problem with the printer driver. When you buy a printer you get an installation disc with it. Sometimes the drivers on the disc are not the correct ones for your operating system, or they might not be the latest versions. To correct this problem, visit the manufacturer’s website to download and install the most recent driver for your printer. This should correct this problem.
Chapter 12
1. B. Floppy disks are used primarily for backups of small amounts of data, for bootable diagnostic disks, and for the creation of bootable emergency disks with some versions of Windows.
2. C. Hard disk drives are the most important storage device used by a personal computer. Hard disk drives store the operating system (Windows, Linux, or others) and load it into the computer’s memory (RAM) at startup. Hard disk drives also store applications, system configuration files used by applications and the operating system, and data files created by the user.
3. C. Hard disk drives use one or more double-sided platters formed from rigid materials such as aluminum or glass. These platters are coated with a durable magnetic surface that is divided into sectors. Each sector contains 512 bytes of storage along with information about where the sector is located on the disk medium.
4. A, C. Most internal CD and DVD drives use the same ATA/IDE interface used by PATA hard disks. When this interface is used by drives other than hard disks, it is often referred to as the ATAPI interface.
5. B. If you want to play music CDs through your sound card’s speakers, you might need to connect a CD audio patch cable. One end connects to the CD-ROM drive and the other end connects to the CD audio port on the sound card or motherboard. Older drives support a four-wire analog cable, whereas newer drives support both the four-wire analog and newer two-wire digital cable. If the power cable wasn’t connected, the drive wouldn’t have opened when you inserted the disc. CD-ROM drives normally don’t need drivers installed; they are installed automatically by Windows. However you might need a soundcard driver. If the CD was faulty, Windows Media Player would not have played the song, and you wouldn’t have seen the song title or the elapsed time of the song.
6. A, B, D. Zip drives have capacities of 100 MB, 250 MB, and 750 MB due to the size limitations that go along with the rigid cartridges.
7. D. Tape drives use various types of magnetic tape. Some tape drive mechanisms can be incorporated into autoloaders or tape libraries for large network backup and data retrieval. Tape drives are mostly used on servers but are still considered removable storage.
8. B. To install a flash card reader on Windows 2000, XP, or Vista, connect it to an available USB port. The system will automatically detect the reader, assign drive letters as required, and display a notification at the end of the installation process.
9. A. USB flash memory drives have largely replaced floppy drives for transfers of data between systems or for running utility programs. USB flash memory drives, like flash memory cards, use flash memory, a type of memory that retains information without a continuous flow of electricity.
10. C, D. USB flash memory drives are preformatted with the FAT16 or FAT32 file system and are ready to use. Simply plug one into a USB port, and it is immediately assigned a drive letter. You can copy, modify, and delete information on a USB flash memory drive, just as with a hard disk or floppy drive.
11. A, B, C. Most external hard disks connect via the USB or IEEE-1394 ports, but some can connect to external SATA ports, or to the network via RJ45 External USB or IEEE-1394–based hard disks are preformatted (typically with the FAT32 file system), and are ready to work. Plug in the drive, and it appears in My Computer or Windows Explorer. PCIe is an internal expansion bus used by video cards and other secondary adapter cards.
12. A. Floppy drive data cables that are reversed (pin 1 to pin 33) at either the floppy drive interface on the motherboard/floppy controller card or at the drive itself will cause the drive light to come on and stay on. To correct this, turn off the system, remove and reattach the data cable correctly, and restart the system.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are working on a computer. You plug up your external hard drive and for some reason it does not show up in the Explorer window. You then happen to notice that this computer is actually running a server-based operating system. What would be the steps you would need to take to fix this problem?
Answer: Once you have discovered that the computer is running a server operating system, you should take these simple but necessary steps to allow the operating system to see the external drive. First you will need to open the computer management console. Then you will need to select disk management under the storage list, and then you will right-click on the unrecognized drive and select a drive letter. The operating system will then recognize the drive and you will be able to do the work you need to complete your task at hand.
Chapter 13
1. B. Windows Aero is Microsoft’s new visual experience. It features translucent windows, window animations, three-dimensional viewing of windows, and a modified taskbar. You can make modifications to the look of Aero by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Personalize. Then select Windows Color and Appearance. There you can modify features such as the transparency of windows. Note: Aero is not available in Windows Vista Home Basic.
2. C. To enable applications written for older versions of Windows to run properly on Windows Vista/XP, you can use the Program Compatibility wizard that is built into Windows, or the Compatibility tab located on the executable file’s properties sheet.
3. B. The Windows Registry acts as a central database for Windows, applications, and user settings. When you install a program, update Windows, or even change the color of the desktop, a part of the Windows Registry changes.
4. D. If you run short of money, you can borrow some from the bank (assuming your credit’s in decent shape). However, there’s a penalty: interest. Similarly, if your system runs short of memory, it can borrow hard disk space and use it as virtual memory. The penalty for this type of borrowing is performance: Virtual memory is much slower than real RAM memory. However, you can adjust how your system uses virtual memory to achieve better performance.
5. A. If you are using a Windows-based operating system, you have used this at one time or the other. You can view all files on the system as well as view network drives.
6. C. Windows XP uses My Network Places to manage dial-up and local area network connections. When you open My Network Places, you see a list of network connections and shared folders on the network, including those located on the local computer and on remote computers.
7. A, B, C, D. The boot files have changed with the newer operating system. Bootmgr has taken the place of NTLDR and determines which operating system to boot. Boot Configuration Data store (BCD) tells Bootmgr the operating systems that can boot and their method of booting. Hardware Abstraction Layer (Hal.dll) allows applications to access devices without the application having to understand a specific protocol used by any one device. Ntoskrnl.exe is the kernel image for Vista (and XP/2000), and is responsible for services such as process and memory management and hardware virtualization among other things.
8. B. The Boot.ini file is a specially formatted text file that configures the startup process for Windows XP. It resides in the default boot drive, even if Windows is installed on another drive.
9. A, C. While you install the Windows operating system to the new drive, you must go through the partitioning and formatting steps. Almost all drives are not prepared to accept an operating system right out of the box.
10. A, B, D. You can start a command-prompt session in Windows by clicking on the Command Prompt option in the Start menu; it’s usually located in the Accessories menu on most versions of Windows. However, it’s faster to use the Run prompt. You can also type command or cmd at the run line.
11. C. /E is needed to copy the files, directories, subdirectories, including empty subdirectories. /S will copy files, directories, and subdirectories, but not empty subdirectories. If you add /T on to the end, you will get just the empty directories copied. T is not a valid switch.
12. C. For you to view the installed devices you need to instruct the user to go in to Device Manager and see if there are any errors on the display adapters.
13. A. You can use the performance monitor by going to the run command and typing perfmon. This utility can help you diagnose memory bottlenecks.
14. C. The minimum processor requirement for Windows Vista is 800 MHz. However, Microsoft recommends 1 GHz or higher. 133 MHz is the minimum processor requirement for Windows 2000 Professional, and 233 MHz is the minimum for Windows XP.
15. C. The minimum RAM requirement for Windows Vista is 512 MB. However, Microsoft recommends 1 GB of RAM or higher. 64 MB is the minimum RAM requirement for Windows XP/2000.
16. D. To manage network connections while in the Network window, click the Network and Sharing Center button. Once that window opens, click the link for Manage Network Connections.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have a client who is having problems with network connectivity. She is complaining that things work fine for a while, and then there is no connectivity at all. What steps could you take to verify that there is a problem?
Answer: First you can ping the server that the client is connected to. If the ping is successful, you can use the ping with the –t switch and see if packets are being lost. If you see a lot of time outs, the NIC may be failing or a wire in the network cable may have been cut or broken.
Chapter 14
1. C. When using the newer hardware, there would not be a problem. However with older hardware, before you even try to install the operating system, you should verify the computers are capable of running the new OS by checking the Windows Vista Logo’d Products List.
2. A, B, C, D. All the listed methods are valid ways to install an operating system. The most common ways are to use the distribution CD or DVD, or the recovery disc that comes with your system. You can also install from a network share, or by imaging the drive.
3. A, B, D. When creating an unattended installation disk for Windows XP or Windows 2000 you must have these files. The unattend.txt provides all answers if you want to use a share or command line. Systprep.inf provides answers for a mini-setup and Winnt.sif is used to boot from a floppy disk.
4. A, B, D. FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS are the three file systems that are supported. You can use FAT32 and NTFS. The operating system can support FAT16, but it is only supported so Windows can access devices such as memory sticks or older hard drives.
5. B. In Windows Vista, device drivers are added within the same screen where partitioning was done by clicking Load Driver. These could be drivers for SATA or SCSI controllers, or other special hard disk controllers. These drivers can come from floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive.
6. B. For the log files for the XP install you will need to go to the system root directory and look for setuperr.log along with setuplog.txt and there are several more you can look at as well.
7. C. Some older systems might require processor, memory, or hard disk upgrades to be qualified to run Windows Vista or XP. You should make sure your computer meets or exceeds these standards before you start the upgrade process.
8. A. Because upgrading to a newer version of Windows retains your existing application software and settings, you should also make sure that both your hardware and software are compatible with Windows Vista or XP. This is known as the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor.
9. A, B, C, D. Before you upgrade to Windows Vista or XP, you should also download any new device drivers or new application updates that you need. Create a folder for your updates on your system and uncompress them if necessary so they can be used during the upgrade process. And, of course, back up any important files, email, and settings: for example, Internet Explorer favorites, your email program’s blocked sender list, or use the Files and Settings Transfer wizard for the bulk of the files and settings on your computer.
10. B. During the upgrade process, you can convert the file system to NTFS. Do this to save space on your hard disk (NTFS is more efficient than FAT32) and if you want features such as encryption, file/folder compression, and better security.
11. C. You need at least 15 GB free for Windows Vista, and 1.5GB free for Windows XP at the minimum; more is better.
12. B, C, D, E. If you encounter any of these problems you will be unable to do the upgrade. You should check this before you try the upgrade.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are a technician for a company that is in the process of upgrading the operating systems from Windows XP to Windows Vista. You have a mixture of newer and older computers. To be more effective during this process you need to make sure that the Vista operating will install without any problems. What should you do to minimize the time to determine if the upgrade will work or not?
Answer: You should first get a list of all the older computers. Start with them by running the Vista upgrade advisor. This should give you a better idea of which of the newer computers will accept the upgrade. This will help save you time and make this process run much smoother.
Chapter 15
1. A. If you are unable to start Windows Vista/XP but don’t see an error message, the problem could be caused by a driver or startup program, video driver problems, or problems with the system kernel. When pressing F8, Windows XP and Vista display the Advanced Boot Options menu, which includes various options, such as Safe Mode, VGA Mode, and Last Known Good Configuration, which will help you correct startup problems.
2. D. WinRE is a set of tools included in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and other upcoming Windows operating systems. It takes the place of the Recovery Console used in Windows XP/2000. Also known as System Recovery Options, WinRE’s purpose is to recover Windows from errors that prevent it from booting.
3. B. The Windows Recovery Console is a special command-line interface that is designed for copying files and performing disk repairs. It is used by Windows XP and 2000. In Windows 2000, you can use the Recovery Console as an alternative to the Emergency Repair process, such as if you need to restore only one system file. Windows XP lacks the Emergency Repair provision, so understanding how to use the Recovery Console is even more important.
4. A. The Automated System Recovery (ASR) option in NTBackup enables you to restore the system state (user accounts, hard disk configuration, network configuration, video settings, hardware configuration, software settings, operating system boot files). The Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) is used in Windows 2000, and Complete PC Backup is used in Windows Vista. Windows XP Professional does not include a true disaster-recovery backup program like Complete PC Backup.
5. B. Windows 2000 has a feature called Emergency Repair that can fix some startup problems. The Windows 2000 Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) is created with the Windows 2000 NTBackup program.
6. D. All the listed options are valid for recovering an operating system if the system will not boot. WinRE is the Windows Vista Recovery Environment, which has several options to repair boot failure. The Last Known Good Configuration is one of the Advanced Boot Options that can be accessed by pressing F8 in any version of Windows. You can install the recovery console from the Windows XP CD-ROM. After it’s installed, it becomes part of the boot selection in the boot.ini file.
7. A, C, D. To keep a computer updated you should install the latest service pack, which can be downloaded from the Internet or installed from CD; install any hotfixes and security updates through Windows Update; and install anti-virus updates, which is usually accomplished by setting the AV updates to download and install automatically.
8. C. In this case you will need to go to the windows update site and download the latest service pack and any additional patches and hotfixes that are listed on the update webpage.
9. A. To modify settings regarding how updates are downloaded and installed in Windows XP go to Control PanelAutomatic Updates. From here a user can decide whether to download and install updates automatically and can schedule the time of download. In Windows Vista this can be accomplished by accessing Control PanelWindows UpdateChange Settings.
10. B. You should always have some sort of backup schedule for your user documents to prevent permanent loss of their data. You can use the NTBACKUP tool to setup these backups.
11. C. If you create an image backup of the system, you can easily restore the computer back to its original state in about 20 minutes or so. This has become a great tool for technicians to use if a hard drive fails or you are unable to bring the system back up online.
12. C, D. Modern image backup programs such as recent versions of Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image make it possible to restore an entire computer to an earlier state. They can also be used to create incremental backups, enabling the image backup program to work as both an image and file/folder backup.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are a technician for your company. You have been having problems with a user’s computer hard drive. The user is losing her data. You need to come up with a solution that will keep the user’s documents from being deleted. You do not have a network server to store the user’s data. What should you do to prevent this from happening?
Answer: First you might want to run some sort of diagnostic program on the user’s hard drive. If you find the drive is good, you will then want to set up some type of backup strategy using the NTBACKUP tool. Because you don’t have a network server to store the user documents, you should back the data up to a USB or some other type of removable disk. This will help keep the user’s data safe from deletion and make her very happy.
Chapter 16
1. A, C. The Windows operating system uses two types of networks. One is a client/server network, meaning that client computers will need to contact a domain controller to work. A peer-to-peer network is used in smaller networks where the expense is a factor, no centralized administration is necessary, or if the organization doesn’t have the resources to support a client/server network.
2. A, B, C, D. Although the older dial-up modems are going by the wayside, they are still used. The newer technologies such as an ISDN, cable, and DSL more commonly connect today’s networks to the Internet.
3. A, C. Although most current networks use TCP/IPv4, you can also find the TCP/IPv6 and in some situations you might even find the older NetBEUI protocol.
4. A, B, C. The TCP/IP protocol suite includes many protocols including the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTP Secure (HTTPS), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and its successor Transport Layer Security (TLS). Ethernet is a network architecture commonly used, upon which TCP/IP runs.
5. E. Bus, star, ring, and mesh topologies are used in the field today. You can use these techniques to supply network connectivity to your client computers.
6. C. The oldest network in common use today is Ethernet, also known as IEEE-802.3. IEEE 1394 refers to the PC version of FireWire cable. 802.11b and 802.11g are wireless networking technologies.
7. C. UTP cable comes in various grades, of which Category 5e is the most common of the standard cabling grades. Category 5e cabling is suitable for use with both standard 10BaseT and Fast Ethernet networking, and can also be used for Gigabit Ethernet networks if it passes compliance testing.
8. A, B. Although many recent computers include a 10/100 or 10/100/1000 Ethernet port or a wireless Ethernet adapter, you might need to install a network interface card (NIC) into a computer you want to add to a network. This card would normally be installed to a PCI x1 slot or a PCI slot; however AGP is used for video only.
9. B. If the hardware in use on an Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit Ethernet network permits, you can configure the network to run in full-duplex mode. Full-duplex mode enables the adapter to send and receive data at the same time, which doubles network speed over the default half-duplex mode.
10. C. A switch resembles a hub but creates a dedicated full-speed connection between the two computers that are communicating with each other. By doing this it will upgrade the speed of the existing network.
11. A, B, C. Hubs or switches are the only connectivity equipment needed for a workgroup LAN. However, if the network needs to span longer distances than those supported by the network cabling in use or needs to connect to another network, additional connectivity equipment is needed. A repeater is used to carry the signals even farther than normal. You can also use a bridge to connect two networks together. A router can be used to connect two or more networks.
12. D. The TCP/IPv4 protocol, although it was originally used for Internet connectivity, is now the most important network protocol for LAN as well as larger networks. To connect with the rest of a TCP/IP-based network, each computer or other device must have a unique IP address. If the network needs to connect with the Internet, additional settings might be required.
13. C. On a Windows operating system, to be able to share printers and resources with other users, you must make sure that the file and print services is installed and enabled in the Properties window of a network connection.
14. C. If your computer needs to connect to a Windows network, you must verify that the Client for Microsoft Networks is installed. Usually this will be installed by default, but if not it can be added within the Properties window of the appropriate network connection; the Windows CD is required.
15. A, C. The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is designed to enable users to access network resources, such as folders or printers, without mapping drive letters to network drives or specifying the type of device that stores the file or hosts the printer. If you are using a Windows operating system you can also use the map network drive tool and provide the UNC path.
16. A, B. A web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, is the main interface through which you navigate the Internet. Internet Explorer is a standard component of Windows. Updates and newer versions can be downloaded manually from the Microsoft website or via Windows Update. Other browsers can be downloaded in compressed form and installed manually.
17. C. After you have discerned the IP address of the client’s computer, ping that IP address to see if it is alive. If you get replies, then the client computer has network connectivity. If your ping times out, then you will need to troubleshoot the issue further.
18. A, B. If a user reports that he or she cannot connect to the network, check cables, connectors, and other network hardware. A disconnected cable is a common culprit. A faulty connector or network card could also be the cause. Replace any damaged cables and connectors.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have a computer that has an issue with connecting to network resources such as a printer or share on a server. What are some of the tests you can perform to fix this problem so the user can continue working?
Answer: First you would need to make sure the file and print sharing is turned on for the system. If that is turned on, the next thing would be to check the permissions to see if you are even allowed to connect to the resource. After you have determined that one of these issues have been fixed, you can then recheck to see whether the access is working.
Chapter 17
1. D. To recycle alkaline or other types of dry or wet-cell batteries, including batteries used in UPS battery backup systems, as well as rechargeable, watch, and calculator batteries, contact companies that specialize in safe battery disposal or recycling. To locate companies, check your local telephone directory or perform a web search using search terms such as “battery recycling.”
2. A, B, C. You can and should see if charities and schools could use this old equipment. If not, make sure it is recycled properly. It is illegal to incinerate computer parts, and as such municipalities will refuse them.
3. A, B, C, D. The MSDS can be used to determine safe storage practices. It can also be used determine what you should do if a product is swallowed or splashed on skin. It also describes safe disposal methods and how to deal with the different types or hazards.
4. C. Check the MSDS. Many consumable products such as cleaners and printer cartridges have an MSDS, or material safety data sheet. In more and more cases today, this information is available from the manufacturer’s website.
5. C. By just walking across a carpeted floor, you build up static electricity, which can be discharged to computer components, possibly damaging them and leading to data loss. This discharge is called electrostatic discharge (ESD).
6. A. To protect equipment from ESD, store equipment in the Faraday cage antistatic bags originally supplied with the equipment; retain bags for installed equipment for reuse. Faraday cage antistatic bags feature a thin metallic layer on the outside of the bag, which is conductive and prevents ESD from penetrating to the components inside.
7. D. You can best equalize the electrical potential of a computer or component that is being serviced by placing the computer or component on an antistatic work mat equipped with a wrist strap. Attach your wrist strap to the mat. This will help place you and the component at the same level of electrical potential, and thus eliminate the “need” for ESD to occur to equalize the potential.
8. E. You must always be aware of the hazards in your computer shop. High voltage sources, printers, cables, and atmospheric hazards such as those created by the use of toxic cleaners or the discharge of computer-room–rated fire suppression chemicals can become a hazard and cause bodily harm to you or your co-workers.
9. C. Do not leave the computer plugged in while you work inside it. At one time, an acceptable practice was to leave the computer plugged in but shut down and keep one hand on the power supply as a ground. This is no longer appropriate because even if the computer is shut down, ATX and BTX power supplies still send +5 volts of standby power to the computer if it is plugged into an AC outlet.
10. A, C. Lifting heavy equipment can be hazardous to your health. You should tell him to stop and go help him. For extra protection, wear a back brace.
11. B. If a co-worker is lying on the floor and is unresponsive, call 911 immediately. Afterwards, contact the worker’s manager. Stay with the person until help arrives.
12. A, C, D. There should always be some type of procedures available for the new person to review. He should have a copy of the MSDS as well just in case he cannot get to the manual.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You are a technician for your company. You walk into work one morning and turn on the lights. You notice that one of your co-workers worked late the night before and left many electrical cables stretched across the floor. What should you do in this scenario?
Answer: First you need to remove the cables from the walkways on or around the walking area. You would then want to speak with the person who left the shop in a hazardous condition. You should explain to him that people could come in and trip, fall, and hurt themselves, or cause a fire or chemical spill. You should let him know to be more cautious when placing cables across the walkways.
Chapter 18
1. B. You should always gather as much information as possible before you start working on the client’s computer. You should also document the details so that in the future you will have this information readily available.
2. C. Avoid using jargon, abbreviations, and acronyms. Explain what you mean in plain language. Remember, if you can’t explain a problem or solution in everyday language, you don’t understand it either.
3. A. Systems that won’t start or that have lockups or shutdowns with no error messages could be the victims of power problems. To determine whether power problems are located inside the computer or are coming from outside the system, use the tests and tools described in Chapter 5
4. C. One of the most common problems you will face is determining whether the problem is a hardware issue or a software issue. In this question you should check Device Manager to see if there are any hardware issues.
5. A, B. Before you do anything to a customer’s system, you should back up the system’s data. The easiest way to ensure that you can restore the system to its previous configuration is to use a disk-imaging program such as Symantec Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image.
6. B. Even if an installation CD came with the device, you really never know how long it has been in there. It is always a good practice to go out to the manufacturer’s website for drivers or installation CDs.
7. A, B, C, D. Make a practice of keeping detailed notes about the problems you solve. If your company has a help-desk system with tracking capabilities, use it. Even if the best you can do is write up your findings, you can use desktop search tools to find the answers to the same problems if you encounter them again.
8. E. All tools listed should be in a technician’s toolkit and should be used when working on a client’s computer. You should also have some software tools such as drivers and an update disk.
9. A, D. Operating system bootable disks and installation CDs help you restore systems with missing system files or other problems to working condition. They can also be used to prepare hard disks, check and fix partition problems, and view the contents of an existing hard disk in a non-working system or a hard disk that has been pulled from storage for re-use.
10. C. No matter how tough the problem (or the customer), avoid arguing with customers—and drop the defensive attitude, too. Your job is to solve the customer’s problem. To do that, you need to work with the customer.
11. A, B, C, D. You must learn to respect other people’s property. You should never use customers’ equipment for personal tasks or look at their personal information, such as documents or pictures.
12. D. No matter how difficult the customer might seem, maintain a positive attitude and tone of voice. Your job is to make possible what is seemingly impossible. As discussed in this chapter, there are abundant resources available from Microsoft, hardware vendors, and numerous forums and newsgroups to help you solve problems.
Troubleshooting Scenario
You have been asked by your supervisor to help a user in the Human Resources area at work. HR is known for keeping a close eye on employee behavior. What should you do (or avoid doing) when working at the user’s desk?
Answer: You should always try your best not to use a lot of tech jargon. It makes people feel you are talking down to them or making them feel they are stupid. You should avoid this at all costs. You need to develop a way of talking to your clients in a way that does not make them feel degraded in any way.
You should also speak clearly to the customer and maintain a positive attitude. Avoid interruptions and distractions. You must also treat the customer’s property with respect.