Aplus Hardware test (220-301)

test 1 answers/explanations
1. You have just completed assembling a PC and have turned it on to check the BIOS settings. Instead of a normal single POST beep, the PC continuously beeps. Which of the following would be the most probable cause?
A memory chip has failed
Video card is not seated properly
A Memory chip is not seated properly
The motherboard battery has failed
Answer/Explanation
  • A Memory chip is not seated properly

    If a memory module is not seated properly then you will typically receive a continuous beeping sound from the PC.
    Most manufacturers are pretty standard on this one.
    If a memory chip has completely failed then you will get a failure at bootup.
    If the video card is not seated properly then you will get a long beep, immediately followed by three short beeps.
    If the memory battery has failed, the machine will still boot OK. You may be queried to reenter the correct time and date depending on the operating system you are using.

    2. At the completion of a POST check a single beep is sounded to indicate that the POST portion of bootup was successful. Which of the following would be the correct interrupt handler ID to load the primary bootstrap loader?
    19h
    1ah
    10h
    16h
    None of the above.
    Answer/Explanation
  • 19h

    19h is the interrupt handler routine that loads the bootstrap loader program, which in turn seeks out the master boot record.
    Of all the above routines, this would be the most important for the A+ exam.
    16h is for keyboard services.
    10h is for video services.
    1ah is for real time clock services

    3. Which of the following would be considered as the upper memory area?
    The first 640K
    The first 1024K above 640K
    The memory area above 1024K
    The first 384K above the base memory
    Answer/Explanation
  • The first 384K above the base memory

    The area of memory designated as upper memory is located between the base memory and the extended memory area.
    The memory model is as follows:
    the first 640K is base memory.
    The next 384K is the upper memory area.
    The area above upper memory (1024K) is extended memory.

    4. Put the following layers of the OSI model in order from 1-7.
    1) Session
    2) Physical
    3) Data Link
    4) Application
    5) Network
    6)Presentation
    7) Transport
    3, 2, 6, 7, 1, 4, 5
    2, 3, 5, 7, 1, 6, 4
    4, 6, 1, 5, 2, 3, 7
    4,6, 1, 7, 5, 3, 2
    Answer/Explanation
  • 2, 3, 5, 7, 1, 6, 4

    The first layer will always be the Physical layer, so you have to watch how the question is worded.
    Popular mnemonics are:
    Please do not throw sausage pizza away
    Please do not tell sales persons anything
    All people seem to need data processing

    5. Which of the following would represent the correct power connectors to the motherboard (planer board) if working with an XT or AT power supply? Choose all that apply.
    P5
    P8
    P6
    P9
    P4
    Answer/Explanation
  • P8 and P9

    When connecting either the XT or AT power connectors to the motherboard the P8 connector goes to P1 and P9 goes to P2.
    When plugged into the motherboard you should have a black wire from each connector at the center of the two connectors.
    The ATX power supply combined the two connectors into one large connector.

    6. Which of the following would be the reason that floppy drive cables have a twist between the two drive connectors? Choose the best answer.
    The twist determines which is the 3 1/2 and which is the 5 1/4 floppy drive for the operating system.
    This determines which drive is a 'A' and which is drive 'B' for the BIOS.
    This renders it virtually impossible to connect the wrong floppy drive to a cable connector.
    This no longer holds true since all newer floppies are 3 1/2 inch.
    Answer/Explanation
  • This determines which drive is a 'A' and which is drive 'B'.

    The twist tells the BIOS that the device at the end will be the 'A' drive and the device between the twist and the motherboard connector will be the 'B" drive.
    The twist is actually a rerouting of wiring to make this determination.
    The connector determines which floppy is a 3 1/2 and which is a 5 1/4, and has nothing to do with the operating system. The operating system gets its information from the BIOS.
    Connecting the wrong drive to a connector is virtually impossible but I have seen students try. If a connector does not slide on without force, do not force it!

    7. You have been called to a customer's home and are tasked with installing a new video card. Due to the design of the case it is required to unplug all connectors on the back of the case.
    After installing the video card you vacuum the board, and tie wrap a few wire bundles, just a friendly maintenance gesture. Now when you go to boot the PC the screen stops at the Win98 splash screen. Which of the following would be the most probable cause?
    The new video card is bad.
    The mouse and keyboard connectors are plugged into the incorrect ports.
    While tie wrapping internal wires and cleaning, the boot record on the hard drive was damaged.
    There is a driver conflict with the new card and the old video driver.
    Answer/Explanation
  • The mouse and keyboard connectors are plugged into the incorrect ports.

    Try it. With your computer turned off switch the mouse and the K/B connectors. The PC will lock up at the splash screen
    If the video card was bad then you would not see the splash screen and would likely get an error at boot.
    If the boot record was damaged (highly unlikely) then you would get an immediate error following POST.
    A video driver conflict would still allow you to boot. At this time you could update the driver in device manager.

    8. Which of the following methods of formatting determine the amount of cylinders and sectors?
    Low level formatting
    Medium level formatting
    High level formatting
    Intermediate level formatting
    Answer/Explanation
  • Low level formatting

    Low level formatting is done by the manufacturer. There was a time when we would do ourselves as techs, but those days are now gone. If you perform a low-level format on a drive you may kiss it good bye under most circumstances.
    You can find software on the internet that will perform a low level format. Make sure it is a drive that is not any good though, because there are no guarantees.
    The medium level format is when we as the end user format a drive and prepare it to accept the operating system.
    A high level format is actually installing the operating system on a hard drive.
    There is no such thing as an intermediate level format.

    9. Which of the following would be indicative of ISDN BRI service?
    23B+1D
    2B+1D
    24B+1D
    3B+1D
    Answer/Explanation
  • 2B+1D

    ISDN BRI is represented as 2B+1D, or as 2B channels and 1D channel. 128 Kbps for data and the 16 Kbps D channel is used for signaling.
    23B + 1D would be for ISDN PRI service.
    24B + 1D is non existent, yes I made this up. If this stated 24 DS0 channels then it would indicate a standard T1 line.
    3B + 1D I made this up also! I know shame shame.

    10. The 5-4-3 rule indicates that when using RG-58 cable there may be 5 segments, 4 repeaters and 3 populations with 30 nodes per population. Which of the following would be the maximum length per segment with your 10Base2 network?
    185 meters
    200 feet
    500 meters
    100 meters
    Answer/Exlpanation
  • 185 meters

    RG-58 (10Base2) is allowed a maximum of 185 meters per segment.
    This also referred to as Thinnet.
    RG-8 or RG-11 is allowed a maximum of 500 meters per segment.
    UTP (Unshielded twisted pair) or STP (Shielded twisted pair) is permitted a maximum of 100 meters.
    200 feet is an erroneous number.


    Percentage:

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