CompTia A+: Chapter 9

Question 1

A client has a laptop with which you are unfamiliar. You are asked to perform a memory upgrade. How can you obtain the service manual for this laptop computer?

Answer 1

The manufacturers website [ It is very rare that paper service manuals are shipped with the laptop. Pressing F1 while in Windows will open Windows help, and pressing F2 on many laptops during the system boot will take you into the BIOS/UEFI]

Question 2

Your manager tells you to replace the inverter on a broken laptop. Where will you find this component?

Answer 2

The inverter, which transforms AC power into DC power for an LCD backlight, is found in the display. It’s not underneath the keyboard, next to the heat sink and fan, or near the processor, which are all located in the bottom half of the laptop.

Question 3

You need to replace an LCD on a defective laptop. Which of the following are components of an LCD? (Choose all that apply)

Answer 3

The components of an LCD screen are the inverter, screen, and backlight. LCD display units also have a Wi-Fi antenna (not the card), webcam, and microphone. There is no backdrop component.

Question 4

A user complains that their mouse cursor randomly jumps to different places on the screen when they type. Which device might you want to disable to prevent this from happening?

Answer 4

The touchpad [ The touchpad sits below the keyboard, where the users palms may rest when they are typing. That contact may cause the mouse cursor to jump on the screen. Disabling the touchpad should prevent this from happening.]

Question 5

One of the users on your network needs to travel and wants to work on the airplane. Which laptop accessory will allow them to power their laptop from the airplane?

Answer 5

A DC adapter converts DC output from a car or plane accessory power plug to the DC voltages required by your laptop. An AC adapter is used with standard wall electrical outlets. There is no battery converter. Airplane mode shuts off all wireless communications.

Question 6

You need to replace defective DDR4 memory in a laptop. How many pins will the replacement memory module have?

Answer 6

DDR4 SODIMMs have 260 pins. DDR2 SODIMMs have 200pins, DDR3 SODIMMs have 204pins, and DDR5 have 262pins. No SODIMMs currently have 288pins, but DDR4 DIMMs do.

Question 7

A user complains that their 2-in-1 laptop screen does not properly detect where they place their finger on the screen. What should you do first to resolve this issue?

Answer 7

If the touchscreen is not responding properly, the first step is to recablibrate it. If it continues to have problems, the screen may be defective and might need to be replaced. Degaussing is a process used on old CRT monitors and is not relevant to touchscreen.

Question 8

You need to wirelessly connect two accessories to a smartphone. Which of the following could be valid options to connect these wireless accessories? (Choose Two)

Answer 8

NFC and Bluetooth [ Hotspot, not mentioned is the third. USB, lightning, and serial are all wired connectivity methods.]

Question 9

There has recently been a string of hardware thefts in your office building. What should you recommend that your users do to help avoid this problem?

Answer 9

Lock it down physically [ Laptops come equipped with holes for cable locks that can be used to secure them to a desk or workstation. GPS tracking might help after the device is stolen, but it’s best to prevent it in the first place. ]

Question 10

Which of the following describes the job of an inverter in a laptop?

Answer 10

The inverter’s job is to convert DC power into AC power for the backlight.

Question 11

A user is getting a new laptop. Which of the following is NOT a valid option to get the user’s files and data from the old hard drive to the new hard drive?

Answer 11

There is no NFC disk transfer utility. [ Valid methods are: manual copy, or a migration app or cloud drive.]

Question 12

A user on your network wants to be able to draw images on a screen and have the laptop capture them. What type of device needs to be installed on the user’s laptop?

Answer 12

A digitizer [ A digitizer takes input from the users device, such as drawn images, and converts them to electronic images on the computer. The user could also use a touchscreen for the same purpose. An inverter changes DC power to AC power for a display backlight. There is no capture laptop device. ]

Question 13

A user has requested a laptop memory upgrade. The technician attempts to put in new memory, but the memory module is a bit too wide for the slot. What is the most likely scenario?

Answer 13

Laptops use SODIMMs rather than standard DIMMs used in desktops. It’s likely the technician has DDR4 SODIMMs and the motherboard supports DDR3 SODIMMs.

Question 14

You have a user who needs to keep desktop devices such as a keyboard, monitor, and mouse permanently connected so that they can be used by an attached laptop. What type of device do you recommend that they use?

Answer 14

A docking station.

Question 15

The process by which the processor slows down to conserve power is officially called _____.

Answer 15

Throttling [ Throttling is used to conserve battery life.]

Question 16

You need to replace a failed AC adapter for a client’s laptop. When replacing the adapter, which of the following purchases is acceptable to obtain the same or better results?

Answer 16

An AC adapter with a higher wattage rating than the original [Wattage can be thought of like a bucket. While you can have more wattage, it doesn’t mean that it will all be used. ]

Question 17

What should you do for a Li-ion battery that appears to charge fully but does not last as long as the battery’s meter indicates that it will last?

Answer 17

Calibrate the battery [Battery calibration for Li-ion batteries allows the powered device to drain the batteries power before recharging.]

Question 18

You are giving a seminar to new technicians on replacing laptop hard drives. A student asks how laptop hard drives differ from desktop hard drives. What do you tell them?

Answer 18

Laptop hard drives typically have a 2.5” form factor, and smaller drives, such as M.2, are becoming more popular. The most common form factor for desktop hard drives is 3.5”.

Question 19

One of your network users has an older laptop with no Bluetooth support. They recently received a Bluetooth headset that they need to use with their laptop. What is the quickest and cheapest way to make the headset compatible with the user’s laptop?

Answer 19

USB Bluetooth adapter

Question 20

A user wants their laptop to have a full-sized optical drive and external hard drive. Which of the following accessories is most likely to have full-sized bays for these devices?

Answer 20

A docking station.

Question 21

Performance based question
The hard drive on a Dell Inspiron 13 7000 computer failed. You have an extra hard drive of the exact same type. What would you do to replace it?

Answer 21

1.) Turn off the computer
2.) Remove the bottom of the case.
3.) Remove the screw holding the M.2 in the case.
4.) Slide the hard drive straight out of the M.2 connector.
5.) Insert the new drive into the connector at the same angle the old drive was at when it was removed.
6.) Press the drive down and secure it with a screw.
7.) Put the bottom case lid back on.